Rebalancing could bring slight increase in real estate taxes for some Jersey Shore Area School District residents

JERSEY SHORE -- If budget projections remain the same, residents of the Jersey Shore Area School District who reside in Clinton County will see an increase in their real estates taxes of $5.49 for every $100,000 of a property's value, while district residents who live in Lycoming County will see their property taxes go down $4.91 for the same value. These possible rate changes are the result of rebalancing, according to Ben Enders, district business manager.

"The rebalance is done by the state," Enders explained.

"It's a process by which it (the state) looks at our current year millage and says, this is what they kind of should have been, and rebalances them," he said.

The millage rates, if given final approval, would be 14.0613 mills and Lycoming County would be 18.6687.

Enders noted that those rates and changes don't take into consideration any increase in the Homestead/Farmstead allocation which will be announced next month.

The board then approved adopting the preliminary 2025-26 budget with Enders' recommendation that the rates be rebalanced. The vote was taken at the board's meeting this week.

The next step in the budget process is approval of the proposed final budget by the end of next month. The final budget must be approved by June 30.

Under personnel, the board approved hiring the following persons for the positions and rates of pay listed: Margaret Koons, crossing guard, $14.87 per hour; andJodi Woleslagle, director of pupil services, transfer to elementary special education teacher, $79,325 per year.

The board also approved job descriptions for: head varsity boys basketball coach; head middle school boys basketball coach; assistant boys basketball coach; head varsity baseball coach; assistant baseball coach; school nurse; school counselor; and special education teacher.

An Memorandum of Understanding between the district and the Jersey Shore Area Education Association for the 21st Century Learning Environment was approved.

The 21st Century Learning Environment consists of both classroom and cyber options for learning with the MOU establishing the framework.

General Fund Balance to a Capital Reserve; renewal of the contract for the Nutrition Group, Inc. A scope of services for the subdivision of the Salladasburg Elementary School property was approved.

The district wants to subdivide the property where the school is located into four parcels of land with a side lot addition of the "stream bed" portion of the property to an adjoining property owner,

Financial items receiving approval included an agreement with Sapphire Student Information System software from school years 2026-27 through 2029-2030 and the commitment of proceeds from the sale of iPads in the amount of $42,871 to the technology committed fund balance.

The policy setting rules for conducting meetings and the retirement of the policy on educational stability for children in foster care were both approved.

The next board meeting will be at 7 p.m., May 19 at the Administration Building, 175 A&P Drive.