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WASD agrees to put tax assistance program on agenda

In response to a presentation on the Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance program at their meeting Tuesday, members of the Williamsport Area School District’s board agreed to place the item on their December meeting’s agenda. The board also agreed to have the district’s solicitor draw up a resolution on the proposed program for the meeting.

Jason Fink, vice-president of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce, Jonathan Williamson, city council president and Nick Grimes, city treasurer, outlined the proposed renewal of the LERTA program.

Williamson said it would be similar to the current plan and would allow for tax abatement for commercial development.

“The key change to what the city’s proposing and asking for partnership through the district and the county is that this would be a four-year program. It would expire in 2022,” Williamson said. He added that the reason four years made sense is that it would allow for planning and implementation.

LERTA focuses on blighted properties and seeks to incentivize development in the city, county and district by offering tax abatements to potential commercial endeavors.

“The end goal is having a vibrant Williamsport economy,” Williamson said.

In order for the plan to pass, all entities including the district, the city and the county, must approve it.

In other business, the board adopted an accelerated budget opt-out resolution certifying the tax rate within the inflation index for the 2019-2020 school year.

Under the resolution, the district agrees that various tax levies and other revenue sources will be sufficient to balance the district’s final budget for the next school year based on maintaining current tax rates or increasing tax rates by an amount less than or equal to the Act 1 index set by the state’s department of education. The applicable index for the next fiscal year is 3.2 per cent and by passing the resolution, the board agreed to not exceed the index or to ask for an exception.

The board also approved:

• The district’s comprehensive plan for July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022.

• Renewing the annual school related organization liability insurance policy with The Cincinnati Insurance Company at a cost of $895, which is $100 less than the price last year.

• A letter of agreement with the Lycoming-Clinton MOTH/Mr program and the county’s Children and Youth Services for school-based service for 2018-2019, including student assistance program liaison and mental health assessment services at a cost of $10,000 to the district.

• A change order from Arson Design Group for the scope of services and fee for services and fee for services for additional work on the Millionaire Drive and Hillside Project at a cost of $6,200. Funds will come from Capital Reserves.

The next board meeting will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at the District Administration Building, 2780 West Fourth St.

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