JERSEY SHORE — In an expected move, the Jersey Shore Area School Board voted to raise the millage rate for real estate taxes for 2024-25. The increase for Clinton County is .25 mills bringing the rate to 14.01 mills. Lycoming County’s increase is .33 mills bringing the tax rate in that county to 18.72 mills.

The vote was not unanimous for either the resolution setting the tax rates and for the final budget, with Kayla Calhoun and Bill Pfirman voting no on both items. Those voting in favor were Michael Allen, Harry Brungard, Jessie Edwards, Timothy McDonnell, Cheri Peters, Mary Thomas and Michelle Stemler.

The increases translate to $25 more in real estate taxes for every $100,000 of a property’s value for Clinton County property owners, while Lycoming County residents will pay $33 more per $100,000 of a property’s value.

In conjunction with the budget and tax resolution, the board approved the 2024 Homestead and Farmstead Exclusion

resolution.

Homeowners who qualify for the Homestead/Farmstead could see a reduction of $368.96 in their 2024 real estate taxes. The total number of qualifying properties in the district is 4,588.

In other business, the board approved the following items related to finance: a letter of engagement with Baker Tilly Virchow Krause LLP for the annual audit at a cost of $41,475; the IDEA agreement with BLaST IU 17 for the 2024-2025 school year to administer federal special education funds in accordance with IDEA regulations and pass through funds to the school district in the amount of $452,683; the purchase of workers’ compensation insurance policy which includes coverage from July 1 to June 30, 2025, from Eastern Alliance Insurance through the R.R. Motter Agency at a cost of $53,299 and a request for a CTE budget transfer for CTE Health & Medical Assisting, totaling $15,000 for the purchase of the Medical Assisting CTE program textbook and supplies.

Insurance policies purchased from the Pennsylvania School Board Association through the R.R. Motter Agency for the next fiscal year include: general liability, property, automobile, fiber optics, boiler and machinery insurance coverage at a cost of $148,964; General Law Enforcement Liability and Excess Liability insurance, at a cost of $586; school leaders errors and omissions insurance at a cost of $20,184 with a deductible of $15,000; excess liability insurance at a cost of $9,570; and Violent Incident insurance at a cost of $7,439; privacy and network liability insurance at a cost of $17,048.

Under personnel, the board accepted letters of retirement from Lisa Titus, a library aide paraprofessional at Avis Elementary School with 25 years of service, and Jerry Merrill, a 25-year member of the maintenance staff.

Letters of resignation were accepted from: Anne Marie Dincher, head boys’ tennis coach; Tyler Henry, head boys’ and girls’ cross country coach; Darrin Bischof, head middle school girls’ soccer coach; and Clayton Musser, technology co-op student.

The board agreed to increase the salary for Benjamin Enders, business manager, by 3% effective July 1, and the salary for Dr. Laura Osenbach, assistant superintendent, by 2.5%, bringing their yearly salaries to $109,028 for Enders and $126,382 for Osenbach.

Three donations were also approved by the board. They were: three yards of mulch from Leonard Landscape Supply for the Jersey Shore Elementary butterfly garden; two hospital beds from Geisinger Hospital for the high school’s CTE Health Assistant program; and a donation of $500 towards a bench from Cassie Swift Farrelly for the Remembrance Garden.

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m. June 24 at the District Administration Building, 175 A&P Drive.