WB Area School Board keeps Meyers High School sale intact, limits tax hike

Jan. 13—PLAINS TWP. — Wilkes-Barre Area School Board had been expected to vote to terminate a sales agreement for Meyers High School at Wednesday's monthly meeting, but the motion was tabled after Solicitor Ray Wendolowski told the board the buyer had called him earlier in the day and asked for more time.

Last spring the board arranged to sell the Carey Avenue site to developer Shlomo Lugashi for $2 million. The building was expected to be repurposed as an assisted living facility, retaining the facade.

Wendolowski said the motion to rescind was put on the agenda because the project had stalled and that Lugashi had not finished required "due diligence" in the time specified by the sales agreement, even though the district has been lenient on the matter in both this sale and the sale of Coughlin High School, which is completed.

While the motion to rescind was tabled so the sales agreement remains in effect, the board decided to pass a companion motion to re-list the property with Lewith and Freeman Real Estate, though Wendolowski said that would only be done if the current deal does fall through.

While the Meyers sale appeared uncertain, the board approved an agreement for the sale of 37.34 acres of vacant property along South Empire Street in Wilkes-Barre, to Post Family Ltd. Partnership for $750,000.

The board also moved forward on plans for new athletic facilities at the high school by approving two agreements. The first is with Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects of Allentown for a new field house, ticket booths and concession stand structures. The architects will receive between 5.75% and 6.75% of the total cost of work depending on what the final costs are.

The other is with Geo-Science Engineering and Testing, LLC of Jessup, Pa. to perform construction testing services for the athletic complex. The agreement includes a detailed fee schedule for consulting, project and subcontract related expenses, and laboratory services.

And the board approved a motion keeping any property tax increase for the 2022-3 fiscal year within a state maximum known as the Act 1 Index. The district's limit this year is 4.9%. The vote does not mean there will be a tax increase, but gives the district until the end of May to pass a preliminary budget.

The board also:

—Ratified an agreement with Imagine Learning of Provo, Utah, for five Imagine Language and Literacy Site Licences at a total cost of $150,000 for three years. Imagine Learning bills itself as providing "a complete suite of adaptive digital curriculum and assessment solutions for PreK — 8 that delivers unmatched excellence in language development—accelerating learning across subjects for all students."

—Voted to amend the agreement between the district and Maxim Healthcare services to include updated rates. The rates range from $30 per hour for an instructional aide to $115 for a board certified behavior analyst.

—Approved a Payment in Lieu of Tax agreement with Spring Brook Memorial, LLC and King's College. Spring Brook owns two groups of properties leased to King's College, which is a non-profit entity. The agreement is for payment in lieu of taxes to the school district, the city of Wilkes-Barre and Luzerne County. Instead of paying property taxes, a $75,000 annual scholarship fund will be set up at King's College for city, county and school district employees and their families, giving $25,000 to each taxing body; provide a 10% discount and priority access to King's College's Bright Horizons Day Care facility; Waive applicable rental fees for all of King's facilities for the three taxing bodies, and give free access to King's Robert L. Betzler Athletic Complex subject to availability.

—Renewed flood insurance coverage on district property along Carey Avenue and Old River Road at an annual cost per location of $9,967.

—Entered an agreement with the Plains Township Police Department for working special details at a rate of $40 per hour with a minimum of three hours per detail.

—Amended the site-work contract with Stell Enterprises, which did the site work on the new high school, to provide snow removal at the high school at hourly rates ranging from $100 to $175 depending on the vehicle needed.

—Amended the agreement with BCM Security Services, Inc. to increase the hourly rate charged for security from $15.50 per hour to $16.50 per hour.

—Increased the hourly rate paid to Nutrition, Inc. employees by 50 cents to $2 per hour depending on their current scale of pay, and increase the starting pay of drivers to $15 per hour. Nutrition Inc. handles service in district cafeterias.

—Approved four change orders at a total cost of $121,292. The highest amount goes to Stell Enterprises, $61,054, for additional line striping and signs, sidewalks, topsoil and seeding, and for signaling and related equipment required by the state Department of Transportation.

Another $8,663 goes to Quandel Construction Group, Inc., for some roof flashing and casework and counter tops, while the third change order total of $4,224 goes to Everon Electrical Contractors, Inc. The last change order totals $47,351 to Keystone Sports Construction for a variety of conduits, manholes, ductbanks and related material and work.

—Created the positions and appointed Margo Serafini as director of early childhood education, Sean Flynn as director of Intermediate Education, and Michael Krzywicki as district engineer/director of physical plant. Superintendent Brian Costello said he education director posts should improve overall education services at the lower school levels. Serafini and Ryan already work in the district are getting no pay increase for the change.

Krzywicki works for Apollo Group, Inc., the firm contracted as the district project manager. Krzywicki has been Apollo's representative at district meetings and overseeing much of the new construction. The new position within the district was offered to him with a starting salary of $129,000.

Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish