MCA Approves Tentative Budget, New Teacher Pact

MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area School Board has adopted a preliminary budget and approved a one-year contract extension with its teachers union.

By unanimous vote May 21, directors approved the tentative budget totaling $18,064,371.54. A $932,728.22 deficit remains, and it must be erased before a final budget is approved in June.

Superintendent Bernard Stellar said board members will look to trim more from the budget, and use money from the district's fund balance to make up the difference.

"At this point, the board has no plans on cutting staff or programs," Stellar said Friday.

Pension contributions jumped nearly 5 percent to $1.974 million, up about $81,000. About 200 district employees, including teachers, administrators and maintenance staff, eligible for a retirement plan are enrolled, Stellar said. Health insurance rose 3.8 percent, less than the 10 percent the board had anticipated. The district will realize a $200,000 savings because its health plan administrator was compelled to reduce the amount of funding it held in reserve, Stellar said.

Contract details

Salaries for the district's 114 teachers will rise approximately a combined $160,000 in 2015-16, according to Stellar, reflective of the contract extension. The one-year deal maintains contract terms from 2014-15, including a 2 percent raise and a step movement.

Stellar said the extension came in part because of uncertainty regarding Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf's pending budget proposal, and just how much of the billions he proposed to spend on education would remain once a final version is approved by the Republican-led Legislature. Mount Carmel Area would be in line for an additional $500,000 if the proposal is adopted as is.

The school board and teachers union settled a three-year deal in November 2013, retroactive to July 1, 2012. Negotiations will resume in late fall or early winter on a new deal, Stellar said.

A closed-door executive session lasting 1 hour, 50 minutes was held prior to a vote on the contract, which wasn't listed on the original agenda.

New football gear

In other business, the school board voted to purchase 32 new football helmets at a cost not to exceed $6,240. Purchase of new football uniforms were also approved at a cost not to exceed $7,000, with half the cost to be paid with donations.

Also:

- A seal coating will be applied at the Mount Carmel Silver Bowl's runways at a cost not to exceed $25,000, and two small sets of bleachers purchased at no more than $4,000. The funds will be taken from money remaining from the stadium renovation project and not from the general fund budget.

- A new scoreboard and play clocks will be installed at the stadium. The purchase will be capped at $21,000, and will be paid solely through donations and sponsorships, Stellar said.

- Bids were expected to be opened Friday from contractors proposing to tear down the end zone bleachers.

- New board director Jessica Delaney attended the meeting, her first since being appointed in April.

- Erica Nestico was hired as a secondary guidance counselor at a step 7 masters level. Her salary is $42,201 plus benefits. She replaces Eileen Frank, who is retiring.