LEWISBURG — Directors of the Lewisburg Area School District (LASD), a SUN Area Technical Institute “sending district,” approved the tech school’s 2022-23 spending plan at their most recent meeting.
Overall, the tech school budget projection was up 11.3% for 2022-23. Lewisburg’s $746,697 contribution to the $6.1 million spending plan represented a $144,346 projected increase.
The 19% increase was to help build out a space in the school to meet the needs of the electronics and mechatronics programs said Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Baugh. The programs have been identified by area chambers of commerce and others as critical in efforts to keep young workforce members in the area.
Dr. John Fairchild, LASD director of administrative services, admitted it was a large increase but added it was offset by a recaluculation of projected earned income tax revenue. Shikellamy, Midd-West, Selinsgrove and Mifflinburg also send students to the New Berlin campus.
Fairchild then presented a preliminary budget for 2022-23, noting that current projections rendered a $1,007,301 deficit. He said the deficit was reported at that amount, greater than what could be covered by the Act 1 tax limit, for the sake of applying for referendum exceptions.
Fairchild noted that work to close the gap would continue as a final adoption deadline in June approached. The preliminary budget passed, 8-1, with Cory Heath, director and board vice president, casting a dissenting vote.
Personnel actions included approval of extra-compensatory positions and salaries for the remainder of the school year.
They included Ronald Hess (boys track coach, $5,860), Hillary Cree (assistant boys track, $2,904), Gary Stiner (assistant boys track, $4,250), Mark Temple (assistant boys track, $1,782), Michael Espinosa (head coach girls track, $5,860), Dillon Durinick (assistant girls track, $2,904) and William Morrow (assistant girls track, $2,461).
Gregory Girton (head coach baseball, $2,757), Michael Asche (assistant coach baseball, $1,230.50), Matthew Butler (assistant coach baseball, $1,452), Samuel Harer (head coach boys tennis, $4,259), John Vaji (head coach boys lacrosse, $5,860), Christopher Bailey (assistant boys lacrosse, $1,452), Eric Martin (assistant boys lacrosse, $1,452), Kenneth Wagner Jr. (head coach softball, $4,859), John Field (assistant softball coach, $1,672), Kevin Wagner (assistant softball coach, $1,230.50), Jennifer Reish (head coach girls lacrosse, $3,658), Alison Stiebe (assistant girls lacrosse, $$3,344) were also among positions approved.
A “food farm” graduation project presented at a previous meeting by seniors Rudy Kristjanson-Gural and Aley Comas was also approved. Their area of plants chosen to support the area ecosystem would be on grounds of the high school.
