Trending
JERSEY SHORE -- New faces and new leadership were evident as the Jersey Shore Area School board held their reorganizational meeting this week with the recently elected members taking their seats on the board.
The board now consists of the following members: Kayla Calhoon, Cheri Peters and Bill Pfirman representing Region 1, which includes Avis and Salladasburg boroughs and Anthony, Brown, Cummings, McHenry, Mifflin, Pine Creek I and Watson townships; Tim McDonnell, Michelle Stemler and Mary Thomas representing Region 2, which includes Jersey Shore Borough Wards 1, 2, 3, and 4 and Porter Township; and Michael Allen, Jessie Edwards and Harry Brungard representing Region 3, which includes Bastress, Crawford, Limestone, Nippenose and Piatt townships.
Edwards was absent from Monday night's meeting.
Stemler was elected chairwoman of the board by a 5-3 vote, defeating the former chairman, Thomas. Brungard was elected vice president by a 7-1 vote; Calhoun was unanimously elected assistant board secretary; and on the third round of voting, McDonnell was elected treasurer by a 5-3 vote.
Right out of the gate, Brungard stated that he wanted to look at the five-year contract with the Jersey Shore Education Association.
"I'd like a breakdown of the five-year agreement that was just ratified by the previous board," Brungard said. "Take some of the highlighted points like FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) to see what's going on from the first year, the second year, third year...some kind of a column explanation of it, like insurance, copay insurance and stuff."
Brungard asked for projections for the next four to five years, "so we know what we're looking at ahead and which direction we're going to go."
"Every little thing that's in the contract is relevant to the cost to the school district," Brungard said.
Brungard also asked how much money would be generated if the board raised taxes for the 2024-25 fiscal year to the state's index.
Business Manager Ben Enders replied that such an increase would result in a $1 million-plus increase in revenue. However, he also stated that would mean that real estate taxes in Clinton County would increase by 1 mill and Lycoming County by 1.5 mills. That would place an additional $100 in taxes per $100,000 of a property's assessed value on Clinton County taxpayers and $150 more on Lycoming County residents per $100,000 of property value.
The board has not made any decision on real estate tax millage for the upcoming fiscal year.
"I want to leave that conversation with the public hearing -- we didn't do that," stressed Dr. Brian Ulmer, superintendent.
The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 at the District Center, 175 A&P Drive.