The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Thursday, May 30, 2002 3 Board hopes to avoid tax Increase in new budget By ELIZABETH ANDERSON Post Correspondent Ef LEHMAN TWP. — The Lake- Lehman School Board approved a proposed tentative budget with @’ Po ditures of $19,168,182 and revenues of $18,539,850 for the 2002-2003 fiscal year. There will be no millage in- ‘crease this year, but Business Manager Kathleen Williams said she expects the cushion the dis- trict has had in the capital re- serve fund will decrease. Howev- er, Williams added she is hope- ful the numbers will change and @®: district will break even and not have to use any of the fund balance this year. “I'm counting on the govern- ment giving us another $120, 000 and I am hopeful that the health insurance will go down, ” Williams said. “I'm opti- istic that once we get the Thealth insurance] number we're not going to be using the fund halance for operating expenses @: year.” The fund balance as of June 30, 2002 is estimated at $2.2 million with an estimated ending fund balance on June 30, 2003 of $1.57 million. “1 am concerned,” she said ¢ bout the tentative budget. “We ave budgeted to the penny in so many categories and we have po many unknowns, including not having a contract for our professional staff.” Williams cit- ed health care costs to be the most significant increase in ex- penditures with a 26 percent rise. Board members had questions concerning the health care con- yrtium finances and its effect Lg the budget. The consortium, ormed to save area school dis- ricts on health benefits over Blue Cross Blue Shield, has ac- quired a cumulative deficit of $4.9 million in the last four years, including the current year’s deficit of $1.9 million. Member school districts have been advised to expect an ap- proximate 26 percent increase in health insurance premiums. @ Charles Boytin, school board president; school district would:be asked. to pay amore ‘than thie proposed drm-+ » crease. “Is this 26 percent going to cover all the extras?” he asked. “Or will it turn out to be a lot more than that because of these assessments?” @lake-Lehman was asked to make another extra payment to the health consortium, after making 13 payments instead of ®. 12 originally required for this school year. The thirteenth pay- ment was an advance payment, nade in November 2001, for the nth of June 2002. The most recent payment of $33,389 is be- ing called an “assessment.” Williams said the district had made two other additional pay- ments of $107,000 and 230,000 last fiscal year. & There have been many person- % £5 nel changes at the consortium. Angelo DeCesaris, consortium board trustee, said while he finds the situation embarrassing to some extent, there has been a sincere attempt “to insure this thing is done right.” “These are growing pains,” ad- vised DeCesaris. “We are in [the consortium] and we have to do what we can to make this thing work.” Other areas with significant increases included transporta- tion costs and liability insurance premiums. Premiums for the district will increase 44 percent, rising from $60,000 per year to $100,000. Williams said because of the September 11 tragedy, the number of companies that will insure public schools has de- creased. Transportation costs will in- crease $62,000 over the previous year due to the changing sched- ule of the Lehman-Jackson and Ross Elementary schools to in- clude common planning time. Common planning time will save the district the salary of one teacher. There will be separate elementary and secondary buses next year. Lehman-Jackson stu- dents will start the day at 8:20 a.m. and Ross students at 9:05 a.m. Dismissal times will remain the same as last year. In other business; e With much regret, the board accepted the letters of retire- ments of Lake-Lehman High School Principal John Oliver, ef- fective June 30, 2002; LLHS English teacher, Carol Oliver, ef- fective June 8, 2002; and Middle Level Building Guidance Coun- selor Barbara Evans, effective July 15, 2002. “To John, Carol and Barbara, thank you for many, many dedi- cated years,” said Roberts. “I know you have touched the lives of thousands of students in a very, very positive way.” e Barbara Simms, guidance secretary, will retire June 7, 2002. The board joined member Michelle Coombs in thanking her for her many years of service to the district. questioned™ if thew , Superintendent Robert" i] Roberts’ said the ‘Standard and Poor’s réport on academic condi tions at Lake-Lehman was “very glowing.” Standard and Poor's report can be viewed online at www.ses.standardandpoors.com. ¢ Moderno Rossi, board mem- ber, has resigned as a represen- tative on the West Side Area Vo- cational-Technical School - joint operating committee, effective May 21, 2002. Board member Lois Kopcha was appointed as his replacement. The next committee-of-the- whole meeting will be held June 4 at 7 p.m. in the high school auditorium. As construction at the high school will begin June 8, the next regular meeting for general purposes will be held on June 18 at 7 p.m. at a site to be announced. Teachers fx ntinued from page 1) b our repeated successful job rformance that is recognized so - many neighboring dis- Ticts.” ® 4 Jean Lipski, district teacher, parent, coach and taxpayer, gontinued in the same vein. “We don't expect -or want to be the highest paid faculty with the fat- st contract,” she said. “We're sking to be given a contract which would keep us very com- parable with Northwest Area. It would put us in the middle of the other districts considering pay scale, keep us in the health consortium and give us a small retirement incentive, which is more than reclaimed when a long-time teacher leaves and a younger teacher is hired.” “The community must realize since we have never taken these measures in the past we must feel very strongly that we have not been dealt with fairly,” Lips- ki added. ~~ CONCERN A AER MS ND EE EC ET ECE = EE Ls FETE E x F] Drug & Alcohol Foster Care Homes Foster Parent(s) Needed For Specialized Program For Area Youth Recovering Lifestyle Helpful, But Not Necessary b Above Average Compensation Package Includes: ; * Competitive Daily Rate * Monthly Expense/Clothing Reimbursement * Respite/Relief/Transportation Services * Specializated Training, Assistance & 24 Hour Support Service Make a Difference Become A Caring Foster Parent In Drug & Alcohol Foster Care CONCERN Professional Services For Children, Youth and Families Mulberry Professional Plaza, Scranton, PA Private Non-Profit — Serving Northeast, PA Since 1987 1-800-654-6180 » www.concern4kids.org POST PHOTOS/M.B. GILLIGAN A pa dan Sh gow ‘Wycallis students take audience to Oz The fifth grade class at Wycallis Elementary School, Dallas Township, performed the Wizard of Oz at their recent year-end concert. Stu- dents worked on the script, scenery, choreography, costumes, and music with their music teacher, Debbie Pike. These photos were taken at a dress rehearsal the day before the performance. The leading characters, top photo, were Erica Miller as the Scarecrow, Abby Mulhern as Tinman, Christina Touissaint, and Kathleen Montz played Dorothy. Above left, members of the Lullaby League included, from left, Molly Gilligan, Megan Hine, Jill Jackson, Abbey Baltimore and Adele Hawk. Karyn Henry played the role of the good witch, Glenda, and Kathleen Montz played Dorothy. Send The Dallas Post to a friend. It makes a great gift. Call 675-5211 for details. ron li aking June 2 for church addition hodist Church has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony Sunday for the in be added to the Educational Facility. The wing will house the church Sunday School, : Hie Truckeville Nursery School and the Back Mountain Food Pantry. It will also provide meeting space for Boy Scout Troop 155 and Cub Scout Troop 155. The event will take place Sunday at 11:15 a.m. on the Southwest lawn of the present Educational Building on n Church h Bd. Just off Rt. 309. a . Master Card + 4 DX f 4 Apvance Loic INc ad [= Fi PARTY'S etc.. 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