Vote to change Jersey Shore student athletic participation fee fails; board considers tax increase

JERSEY SHORE -- It's budget time again and the Jersey Shore School Board is facing a deficit and a dilemma -- to raise taxes or not.

"I'm comfortable going into the year with a deficit of $415,000," said Ben Enders, district business manager.

The plan suggested by Enders would be to go into the new year with the deficit and take the money out of a fund balance to cover it as needed.

The district has two committed fund balances -- a little under $2.8 million for PSERS (Public School Employees' Retirement System) and $850,000 for health insurance. Enders noted that there is also approximately $4 million unassigned fund balance.

A tax increase of 1.83% of the index was also suggested by Enders. That would generate $72,000 in income for the district.

For properties that do not qualify for the Farmstead/Homestead program, the increase in millage will result in $33 per every $100,000 of a property's assessed value added on next year's real estate taxes. In other words, a $250,000 home would have an increase of $76.50 on their tax bill.

Those that qualify for the Farmstead/Homestead program will actually see a decrease of about $25 per $100,000 of a property's assessed value. The district has 4,588 parcels qualify for the program.

A vote taken initially on the tax increase failed 4-5. Voting yes were Michael Allen, Timothy McDonnell, Cheri Peters and Michelle Stemler. No votes were Harry Brungard, Kayla Calhoon, Jessie Edwards, Bill Pfirman and Mary Thomas.

Enders then asked for direction in how he was supposed to have a tax resolution for voting at the next meeting when it was just voted down.

One suggestion was that Superintendent Dr. Brian Ulmer go back and trim things from the budget in order to reduce the deficit.

"The short answer is yes, I can," Ulmer said.

"I started my last presentation with pain and angst and I'm still dealing with the fallout of people being upset. So, I guess I'll say I can, but I want to make sure the board is going to support it," he added.

Add into that mix the accusation that was made by Brungard that if the decision to close a school had been made last year the district would be going into the next fiscal year with no debt, which elicited a challenge to that statement from Thomas.

"That's not true, Harry," Thomas countered.

The number 50% was offered by Calhoun as a possible amount for a tax increase, which Thomas agreed was the "direction I'd be giving." Brungard disagreed with a tax increase of that proportion.

Michelle Stemler, board president intervened and brought everyone back to the topic of the budget.

Following more discussion, a re-vote on raising the real estate tax rate by 1.83% of the index was approved 5-4. Pfirman, Calhoun and Thomas voted no.

Enders will now prepare a resolution to be approved at the meeting next month. If the increase is approved, district residents in Lycoming County would see their millage rate increase by 1.83% to 18.72 mills and, in Clinton County, it would be 13.98 mills, or a 2.23% increase.

Another agenda item, setting the amount of the athletic participation fee, also became a point of contention.

It was proposed to change the fee to an annual amount of $60. Thomas was vocal in her opposition to the change.

"This has winners and losers," Thomas said.

She pointed out that half of the students that participate in sports will pay more than they would have under the old system and just under a half will pay less.

"I don't think that's fair...This is not fair to take our single sport athlete and raise their fee 50%," she said.

On a roll call vote, Stemler was the only board member who voted in favor of raising the fee to $60.

In other business, under personnel, the board approved the following people for the positions and rates of pay listed, if applicable: Tiffany Stove, part-time food service position at the Middle School, $12.75 per hour; Tabitha Whitman, Middle School head cheer coach, $2,650 stipend; Anthony Owens, head varsity wrestling coach, $7,661 stipend; Maranda Hanley, elementary autistic and emotional support teacher at Jersey Shore Elementary (JSE), $51,000 per year; and David Houseknecht, 4th grade teacher at JSE, $74,234 per year. The board also accepted the letter of retirement from Lori Greenaway, building secretary at the Middle School for 18 years.

Three agreements were approved by the board. They were: an inter-governmental agreement for shared special education services for the upcoming school year between the district and BLaST IU 17; between the district and Merakey Pennsylvania; and between Marching Health Business Services and the district for an in-person Marching Health Clinic to be held July 1.

A donation of $100 from Lowe's for supplies for the JSE garden and a petition for a new Bocce club, the Bulldogs Better Together Club, were also approved.

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 10 at the District Board Room, 175 A&P Drive.