BOARD BRIEFS

The Fairview Board of School Directors held a public Board meeting on April 23, 2007, and took action on the following matters:

·         Accepted the minutes of the Board meeting held on March 26, 2007.

·         Approved a Budgetary Transfer for 2006/07.

·         Approved Bills Payable through April 20, 2007.

·         Approved the Treasurer’s Report for March 2007 as well as the Capital Reserve Report, the Cafeteria Report, District Retirement Benefit Account, and the high school and middle school activity accounts.

·         Approved summer library hours.

·         Approved the physical education curriculum at a cost not to exceed $26,454.

·         Approved the purchase of student information software from CSIU at a cost not to exceed $39,000.

·         Approved reimbursement to gratis coaches and volunteers for cost of Act 34, Act 151, and fingerprinting clearances.

·         Approved the field trip request for the Fairview Elementary 3^rd grade class to attend a Seawolves baseball game on Thursday, May 3, 2007.

·         Approved the first reading of the 2007/08 Tentative Budget for the 2007/08 fiscal year in the amount of $19,343,000.  If said budget is finally adopted on May 23, 2007, as presented, it would be financed by a Real Estate Tax of 17.24 mills of assessed value of real property ($1.724 per $100 of assessed value), an Occupational Privilege Tax of $10 per person, a 1% Earned Income Tax, and a 1% Realty Transfer Tax.

·         Approved amending the 2006/07 General Fund Budget to include a transfer of $175,000 to the Capital Reserve Fund and $175,000 to the District Retirement Benefit Account (DRBA), and further approved these transfers to be completed by April 30, 2007.

·         Approved the Installment Payment Option as follows:

installment payment of taxes
special session act 1 of 2006 under section 1501

Under the Taxpayer Relief Act (also known as Special Session Act 1 of 2006), each local school board is required to adopt a resolution to provide for the collection of school real estate property taxes in installments.  In accordance with the mandates of Act 1, the Fairview School District adopts the following resolution:

1.         Installment Payments.  The School District will permit all taxpayers to be eligible to pay school real estate taxes in installments.  Taxpayers may pay their taxes in three installments on the following dates, August 31, September 30, and October 31.  A taxpayer will be determined to be paying by installment if the first installment is received by the tax collector before the first payment would become delinquent, which is by September 1.  Receipt of the first installment is conclusive evidence of a taxpayer’s intention to pay the school real estate taxes in installments. 

2.         Amount of Payment.  A taxpayer choosing to pay under the installment plan will pay the face amount of the tax bill and is not entitled to any discount.  

3.         Delinquent First Installment Payment.  Where a taxpayer fails to make payment of the first installment by the due date, it is presumed that the taxpayer has chosen not to participate in the installment payment option and the real estate property taxes shall become due and payable and be collected as provided in the Act of May 25, 1945 (P.L. 1050, No. 394) known as the Local Tax Collection law, and subject to discounts and penalties as provided in that Act. 

4.         Delinquent Payments – Penalty.  The unpaid installments shall not be considered delinquent if paid on or before the respective installment date.  If a taxpayer makes the installment payment by August 31 and if the taxpayer fails to make a subsequent installment payment on a due date and the installment payment becomes delinquent, a penalty of 10% shall be added to each delinquent installment payment and collected by the tax collector. 

5.         Tax Collection.  If the outstanding taxes are returned under the existing laws for non-payment of taxes to the Erie County Tax Claims Bureau, then under those circumstances, additional penalty, interest and other costs as permitted under the law shall also be due and owing. 

6.         Disqualification of Taxpayer – Future Installation Plan.  A taxpayer who is delinquent by more than ten (10) days on more than two (2) installment payments shall be ineligible for installment payment option in the following school fiscal year. 

7.         Notice.  The Board of School Directors of the School District shall annually set forth information regarding the payment of school district property taxes in installments and on dates on which such payments are due or delinquent on the tax notice to taxpayers.

·         Approved authorization for the administration to solicit bids for computer equipment, and further, to solicit bids for related technology.

·         Approved facility use requests as follows:

a.         Erie Junior Philharmonic Orchestra – FMS auditorium/6       rooms – Tuesdays from September 4, 2007 – May 4, 2008,     from 5-9:45 p.m. – custodial and maintenance fees to be             waived – pending receipt of insurance certificate

b.         Fairview Boys’ Basketball Summer Camps – FHS gyms –    June 18-22, 2007, and June 25-29, 2007, from 8 a.m. – 5      p.m. – custodial and maintenance fees to be waived

                                    c.         Fairview Boys’ Basketball - FES gym – May 7-10 and May                                            14-17, 2007, from 3:45-4:30 p.m.- custodial and                                                                         maintenance fees to be waived    

                                    d.         Girls’ Softball Association of Fairview – FHS softball field             – May 1-July 31, 2007, from 6-8 p.m. – waiver of rental           fees

e.         Lake Shore Fire Department – FHS pool and locker                                     rooms – May 6, 2007, from 8 a.m.-noon for water rescue                   course - $120 custodial fee – waiver of rental fee

f.          Fairview Volleyball – FMS gym – June 18-21, 2007, from   9 a.m. – 12 noon for mini-camp for 5^th, 6^th, and 7^th grade            girls - with all fees waived

g.         Fairview Parks and Recreation Tumbling Meet/         Demonstration – FHS main gym and cafeteria – May 18,          2007, from 6-10 p.m. – with all fees waived

h.         Flag Little League Spring Photos – FMS – April 28, 2007, from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. – approximately $92 for custodial fees with rental fees waived

·         Approved awarding of bids for custodial supplies and the balance of fall ECA supplies for 2007/08.

·         Approved copier paper bids for the 2007/08 school year to Ricoh at a cost of $26 per case for 717 cases for a total of $18,642.

·         Approved job descriptions for:  Middle School Assistant Principal, School Psychologist, and Elementary/Middle School Gifted Support Teacher/Remedial Coach.

·         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:

May 7, 2007 - Committee of the Whole followed by Small Committees

May 23, 2007 – Committee of the Whole followed by Public Board Meeting