close

Central Greene board approves budget at heated meeting

5 min read
1 / 3

Central Greene 2

Trista Thurston/Observer-Reporter

The Central Greene Board of Education voted to approve its budget before a packed crowd in the Waynesburg Central High School auditorium Tuesday night.

2 / 3

CGEA president Melissa M. Brant addresses the Central Greene School Board at their meeting Tuesday, where a .8755 mill tax levy increase was approved. 

3 / 3

Union members gather ahead of the Central Greene School Board meeting Tuesday.

WAYNESBURG – Central Greene Board of Education voted 5-4 to approve its 2018-2019 budget before a crowd of parents, teachers and community members looking for answers.

Interjections from audience members peppered both a prepared statement from superintendent Helen McCracken and the portion of time when directors’ levied their votes. The animated crowd cheered, booed and commented throughout the meeting.

The approved budget includes anticipated expenditures and revenues at almost $33 million and a tax increase of .8755 mills. The district’s total millage rate is now 29.1175 mills.

Board member Rachael Shultz, who voted against teacher furloughs earlier this month, asked her fellow board members what other efforts had been made to reduce the budget before the vote. The halting of the new middle school project, cuts to supplies and transportation changes were cited by board members.

“You don’t have enough answers to approve this budget,” one audience member called out just before the vote. Due to difficulty hearing individual board members’ votes, it was unclear if the budget and tax increase had even passed. Audience members cried out for clarification, with no answer initially provided by board members.

The district provided an increased security presence during Tuesday’s session, as compared to the June 5 meeting where the board decided to eliminate 26 teaching positions in the district. Many wondered while being waved through a metal detector to enter the building why such a protective measure was not taken while students were in school and concerns about safety were voiced.

Trista Thurston/Observer-Reporter

Attendees at Tuesday’s Central Greene School board meeting first needed to pass through a metal detector to enter the building. 

McCracken said she received direct threats, but would not go into detail as to the nature of the threats. She said they were “concerning enough to include safety measures” at the meeting. Though many commented on the private security firm and state police cruisers in the parking lot, the matter was not discussed publicly.

McCracken said during her prepared statement following public comment “it is our opinion that we cannot afford to kick the economic can down the road any longer” and the district could “no longer sustain itself in the manner it was used to.” She then detailed some of the district’s financial burdens.

McCracken said employee retirement was a major cost, increasing annually since 2009. Healthcare benefits, too, were a significant expense.

She again cited enrollment, which dropped 20 percent in the last decade. Previous construction projects created a debt of over $40 million the district has committed to pay over the next 20 years at $2 million a year. That debt would have been $54 million if the district had taken on a new middle school building project.

“Since 2015, our overall district assessed real estate value has decreased by 13.24 percent, which is the equivalent of over $2 million, using our current assessment formula. That’s $2 million of our budget lost over that five year period,” she said.

But a major point of contention at the last meeting was the decline of the coal industry and how it affected school finances. McCracken expanded on that point Tuesday.

“The mining companies themselves contributed millions of dollars to our economy over the decades. As times have changed, the industry, as it affects us, has changed. Alpha Natural Resources went bankrupt. Emerald Mine and 4 West Mines have closed. Cumberland Coal Resources’ property reassessment alone dropped by $549,000 and that will directly impact the school district during the next fiscal year. That money will be permanently lost,” she said. “Decreases like this are set to continue until our district will have no more coal to mine.”

But teachers’ union president Melissa M. Brant said she is still unsatisfied with that reasoning.

“Quit hanging your hat on the coal mine and acting like you didn’t see it coming. You absolutely were aware,” she said during her comments.

Over a dozen people spoke publicly during the meeting. Many addressed a lack of information and trust, the tax increase and short amount of time board members had to discuss proposed cuts before they were voted upon.

Matt Egizio, a furloughed seventh-grade social studies teacher barred from speaking at the last board meeting, cited the policy that allowed teachers to address the board.

“I’m disappointed for the kids of Central Greene because they won’t get the education they deserve,” he said. “It’s all about the kids, and sadly, (McCracken) doesn’t know what happens in our building.”

McCracken said she thought Egizio’s comments were disrespectful.

As for additional comments on the events of Tuesday evening, McCracken said it was an “emotionally-charged meeting.”

“I don’t believe there’s a lot of value in emotionally-charged answers,” she said.

Board members also approved security for sporting events, insurance and several retirements. The board also approved the hiring of seventh and eighth-grade basketball and football coaches. The board approved the high school principal’s trip to a leadership conference and a lease agreement for pre-kindergarten. A vote was tabled on the head and assistant seventh and eighth-grade girls basketball coaches.

A vote on the designation of Community Bank as the school district’s treasurer for the 2018-19 school year did not pass.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today