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CLAYSBURG -- A tax increase, additional walkways to the athletic project, along with change orders and moving a power line for the ongoing construction were all on at the table during the Claysburg-Kimmel School Board meeting Tuesday night.
In previous meetings, the board discussed the need for a tax increase and have proposed a 3% increase, half of the Act 1 limit.
That increase would cost on average $23 more per household and generate $93,000 in additional revenue, said district Business Manager Dena Burket.
Raising taxes to the Act 1 limit, which this year is 6%, would cost the average homeowner $46 more a year and would generate about $184,000, she said.
The tax increase is necessary because the district is looking at a deficit budget, officials said.
During the board's April 12 meeting, the proposed budget showed a total estimated revenue of $14,487,962, while total expenditures were estimated at $15,283,462. That results in a deficit of $753,500.
The board on Tuesday discussed various line items and where costs might be cut.
"Maintenance is one that I think we need to go over just because we're outsourcing so much stuff," board Vice President Jeremy Knott said.
However, board member Roger Knisely expressed concern over the budget's deadline. The board is scheduled to vote on the proposed final budget on May 10.
"I mean, we can argue about this all night," Knisely said. "It's not going to be ready for next week so I think you're almost going to have to let this budget go through and then go through it and figure out what we don't want to spend. I don't see another way around it."
Board member Heidi Kennedy agreed, saying that just because something is budgeted, doesn't mean the money has to be spent.
The proposed budget already reflects a decrease in the special education spending, as the district has been providing more in-house programs.
Without going to the maximum rate, though, Burket said the district won't have a balanced budget.
"I don't think there's any way you can get to a balanced budget without going to the Act 1 tax limit," Burket said. "That's just my opinion. You're letting money on the table."
Board member Mona Eckley said she remains against the proposal to raise taxes at any amount.
Athletic project
The board voted to approve a nearly $10,000 payment to Mashan Communications & Electric to move a main power line for the ongoing athletic project.
Knott said the athletic field's electric transformer had a conduit line coming off of it and that, due to the hill being graded, the conduit line is now sticking out.
That poses a safety issue and the company "put together a price for us to move that conduit. They're going to have to move that whole main electric line from where it's at, back, and they're hoping they can utilize the same pipe that's there at the beginning of that," Knott explained.
The board also approved a $37,599.87 change order to Cottle's Asphalt Maintenance to put down additional, 5-foot-wide asphalt walkways to and around the athletic complex's batting cages.
The additional walkways will make the batting cages handicap accessible, said ahletic director Brian Helsel.
Looking over the district's preliminary 2023-24 budget, board member Kennedy asked if when the district begins looking at the athletic project's outbuildings, would it start "looking at needs versus wants and put those out to bid first" because "we want to be smart about the way we're spending our money."
Knott said that the outbuilding designs wouldn't change much, just the building materials.
"We can get material that costs less and is still functional," he said. "That's really the big design change."
The "two absolute priorities for outbuildings at this point" are the dugouts and the concession stand, he said.
Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor is at 814-946-7458.