BOARD BRIEFS

The Fairview Board of School Directors held its regular public meeting on

June 26, 2006 , and took action on the following matters:

·                    Accepted the minutes of  May 24, 2006 , and June 12, 2006

·                    Approved the budgetary transfers

·                    Approved the Treasurer’s Report for May, 2006

·                    Approved the bills payable and payroll through June 23, 2006

·                    Correspondence from Cathy Stanchick, Holly Brainard, Tim Tylman, Atty. Joseph

·                    Approved the facility request for the Erie Jr. Philharmonic use the facilities at FMS for one year with free open rehearsals throughout the season, free concert for students in May and a free concert for West County senior citizens at a date to be determined

·                    Appointed the Quinn Law Firm to file property tax appeals on behalf of the Fairview School District for a fee of about $190 per appeal with the appeals to be filed by August 1, 2006 .  And further, to authorize the administration and Quinn Law Firm to negotiate and settle assessed values related to these appeals.  If a residential appraisal is required, the cost of approximately $375 is authorized.  Nonresidential appraisals, if needed, will require further board action.  Properties will be selected for appeal where a change in school tax of $750 or more is calculated using the difference between (1) selling price times the common level ratio (CLR), if the CLR is 85% (84.8%  for July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007) or less for Erie County and (2) the current assessed value.

·                    Approved the Capital Reserve, District Retirement Benefit Account, and the Cafeteria Budgets for 2006/07

·                    Approved Kathryn Umpleby as Board Secretary for a term beginning August 1, 2006 , through June 30, 2009 , to complete the term of Janet Lunik, at a salary of $5,000 per year pro-rated for the remainder of the 2006/07 school year, and that the required security bond in the amount of $100,000 be obtained

·                    Approved the list of field trips for 2006/07

·                    Approved the district to join I.U. #5 as a non-consortium member of their Cyber Service Program to prove services for two students from the district at an estimated cost of $8,000

·                    Approved the student handbooks for 2006/07

·                    Approved the purchase of annual licenses for the PSSA Software from the 2005/06 Study Island pilot for the gr. 5-8 reading and math students as required at a cost of $2,429.93. to be paid from the 2006/07 budget half to be taken from acct. # 1100-610-000-21-500-490 and half from acct. #1100-610-000-24-500-490

·                    Approved the Student Teaching Agreement with Indiana University of PA for 2006/07

·                    Presented for first reading the policy entitled, Breach of Computerized Personnel Information and had it posted in all buildings

·                    Approved that the non-resident tuition rates for the 2006/07 school year be set at $7,000 per student for grades K through 8, $6,000 per student for grades 9 through 12, and further, that non-resident students enrolled for the 2003/04 school year continue at the 2003/04 tuition rates through the highest grade level of the building attended in the 2003/04 school year.  The 2003/04 school year tuition rates are $5,000 per student for grades 1-8, $4,000 per student for grades 9-12, and $2,800 per student for half-day kindergarten.  The non-resident students enrolled for the 2005/06 school year continue at the 2005/06 tuition rates through the highest grade level of the building attended in the 2005/06 school year.  The 2005/06 school year tuition rates are $7,000 per student for grades K-8 and $5,000 per student for grades 9-12.

·                    Approved the contract with Constellation New Energy to supply the district’s natural gas requirements at a cost of MYMEX plus $.475 per DTH for the term September 1, 2006 , through August 31, 2007 and further, to authorize the administration to fix the price during the term of the agreement

·                    Approved to amend the 2005/06 budget to include additional Dual Enrollment/RCI grant funds in the amount of $4,481.13 (revenue account #7502 and expenditure account #1700-566-214-00-800-000).  And further, to approve the payments to RCI students for a portion of the  tuition and book costs paid by the parents from the grant funds received as per the attached schedule. 

·                    Approved that  George Joseph, Esq., and the law firm of Quinn, Buseck, Leemhuis, Toohey & Kroto, Inc. be employed as district solicitor at an annual retainer of  $34,000 for the 2006/07 fiscal year.  This retainer fee will cover all routine legal services, including telephone conferences, attendance at meetings as required by the Board, basic legal research and written opinion letter.  The retainer fee will be paid in quarterly installments of $8,500, payable during the months of September, December, March, and June.  It is understood that costs and expenses will be billed to the district on a quarterly basis.  An hourly rate of $120 per hour will be applicable to non-routine services, including matters of litigation on behalf of the District, representation at special education due process hearings, representation at all administrative law proceedings, representation at construction arbitration, grievance arbitration, unfair labor practice hearings, and negotiations, as well as preparation and legal research time for any of these activities.  This agreement shall be subject to review in May, 2007. 

·                    Approved the substitute teacher daily rate remain the same at $75 per day for the 06/07 school year

·                    Approved to award the bids for winter and spring 2006/07 athletic supplies to those companies listed

·                    Approved the support substitute rates of pay as per the attached as well as the administrators’ and confidential secretaries’ salaries for 2006/07

Instead, the salaries and rates will be put in the board packet for information purposes only and referenced in the agenda.  In this way, the salaries will appear in the minutes, as an informational piece only and displayed in the board attachment book.

·                    Approved to accept Cathy Stanchick’s letter of resignation as a board member effective June 23, 2006

·                    Approved the list of personnel matters as well as the substitute lists

If anyone wishes more information on the items above, or to speak at a public board meeting, please call the Board Secretary at 474-2600, ext. 9-6211.  All back-up materials including “commendables” are available for public view at the Central Administration Building from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

A list of all the committee meetings and public board meetings is shown on the district’s website at www.fairviewschools.org.   The district’s policies are also on the district website. 

UPCOMING MEETINGS:

The next public board meeting will be July 25, 2006.

THE PUBLIC IS WELCOME TO ATTEND ALL MEETINGS!