The Wellsville Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting Monday evening in the Daw Middle School Cafeteria. Present at the meeting was Board President Ed Bauer, VP Tom Brophey and Members Karen Dash, Mike Cook & Bill Miller. Also attending the meeting was Superintendent Rich Bereschik, Fiscal Officer Coleen Wickham, Garfield Elementary Principal Lisa Ferguson, Building & Grounds Supervisor Joe Traina, WTA President Darlene Allison and 13 WTA members.
The Financial Report was read and it was approved to pay the bills. For the month of November receipts were $600,606, expenditures were $543,999 leaving a General Fund balance of $1,972,156. General Set-Asides balance at the end of November was $736,038. Interest earned for November was $4, 301.
Tom Brophey remarked there wasn't a whole lot to report for the Legislative Update stating our law makers just completed a “lame duck session”. Brophey reported that at an OSBA meeting last week in Columbus he learned that Governor-elect Kashich plans to impose an immediate 5% cut in education funding when he takes office January 1. Translated into a dollar amount Wickham advised that would be a $271,847 cut in state funding for FY2011 for Wellsville.
With representatives present from each of the three schools, Darlene Allison noted that the Wellsville Teachers Association is hoping for a successful mediated negotiation session on Wednesday. The WTA has been negotiating for a new contract since this past April. From our understanding the impasse is due to the increased cost of health insurance.
For the Good News Report, Lisa Ferguson noted there were 231 folks that attended the recent Parent-Teacher Conferences at Garfield Elementary. Everyone was invited to the Garfield Christmas Concert at the high school Wednesday night. Allison reported that there were approximately 300 that attended the conferences at Daw Middle School. Daw students are collecting goods for the troops. Mr. Bereschik reported the High School Christmas Concert was “fantastic”. He noted one song was entitled “Snow Days, Snow Days”. Must have worked. One of the three allowable for this school year was used today.
The Board members, Bereschik, Wickham and one parent retired to a 38 minute Executive Session to discuss a complaint against an employee or School official. No comment on the session was made upon resuming the regular meeting.
The annual organizational meeting was set for January 10, 2011, and Tom Brophey will serve as Presdent Pro-Tem for the 6 PM meeting.
Wellsville Police Officer Marsha Eisenhart was hired to work three days a week for the School District. Bauer noted this has been talked about for four or five months recalling that Southern Local just recently did something similar. Eisenhart has worked as the DARE officer for many years and previously served as the school liaison. Mrs. Dash remarked Eisenhart is a good choice. She is familiar with the Wellsville students and most of them know her. Bereschik reported that with the way things are going in our society, in general, it was decided to go ahead with hiring an officer. Wages will be paid from the remaining AARA funds.
The Board approved a resolution to purchase a 2011 Chevrolet 2500 pick-up truck equipped with a snow plow for the district. President Bauer emphasized that the purchase will be paid out of the Permanent Improvement Fund. There is money in the fund to buy the truck and there will not be any money spent from the General Fund for the new equipment. Salaries are paid from the General Fund. Prior to deciding to buy the truck advertisements were published seeking bids.
Mrs. Dash remarked this is something the district has needed for a long time noting that the custodial staff have been using their own personal vehicles to plow snow and haul supplies. Bauer added that the Building & Grounds Supervisor often uses his own truck without any compensation.
A motion was passed to enter into an agreement with West Liberty University for student teachers for the 2010/2011 School Year. Also approved was to have Ed Bauer seek a waiver from compliance for the Body Mass Index Screening for this school year. That is part of the new Healthy Children legislation. Bauer said it would be hard to regulate and Bereschik noted it's a cumbersome process. The screening is another unfunded piece of State legislation and it is speculated it won't be around next year. School Board Presidents were given the option to seek a waiver for the first year.
A motion to renew the services of Bricker & Eckler, LLP, was also approved. The law firm provides any legal services and representation that is needed for the district. A field trip for the WHS Ebony & Ivory Choral group was approved to entertain the Peach Tree Inn residents at the Fox Nursing Home in West Virginia.
A motion was passed authorizing the District Treasurer to advertise for bids for the demolition of the remaining concrete grandstands on the eastern side of Nicholson Stadium pictured above. A section of the grandstands was closed off before the last football game this fall when serveral suspect areas were found. Engineering firm MS Consultants recently inspected the whole structure and is was determined to be much too costly to make repairs. Much of the concrete was found to be eroded and much of the rebar rods that reinforce the concrete is exposed and corroded. Bereschik reported that only the main supports remain in good condition in the 75 year old structure. That is the skeletal structure the stands were built around.
Bauer stated there is too much to repair. There would never be enough funds. Other than have the stands razed, it is not determined what exactly will be done until costs can be ascertained. Around 15 years ago the stands on the western side of the stadium were replaced with aluminum bleachers. With regular inspections, the only maintenance found to be needed on those has been an occasional power washing. Again Bauer emphasized that any work with razing the old grandstands and replacing them would be paid for out of the Permanent Improvement Fund.
Mrs. Dash observed “it's sad to see these bleachers go. There are a lot of memories down there but the safety of the spectators must be the first consideration”. It is hoped to have something in place for the 2011 sports season.
In personnel moves the Board approved the following: Mike Cook was appointed to serve a two year term as the District's representative to the CC Career & Technical Center Board. Nancy Murray and Estie Fisher were approved to be Garfield parent volunteers for the remaining school year. Steve Kline was given the okay to be a volunteer for the Daw Middle School girl's basketball program. Dave Skinner's contract was renewed as the Head Varsity Football Coach/Summer Physical Fitness Coach for 2011/2012. The advisor position for the Tiger Rag was split with duties being shared by Mrs. Robin Weeda and Mrs. Carissa Wilcox. The Tiger Rag is the WHS newspaper.
Finally the Board voted to once again go into Executive Session to review and prepare for negotiations or bargaining sessions with employees. Bauer advised no comments or action would be taken before adjourning.
The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 10, 2011, at 6:30 PM in the Superintendent's Office following the organizational meeting. Wellsville students will begin their Christmas break Wednesday, December 22. They return on Monday , January 3.
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