MOUNT CARMEL - Mount Carmel Area School Board failed to approve breakfast and lunch prices for next school year that called for some increases.
A motion was listed on the agenda at Thursday night's meeting to keep the prices of full-paid and reduced breakfast at $1 and 30 cents, respectively, increase the full-paid lunch 25 cents to $1.75, maintain reduced lunch at 40 cents, increase adult and Head Start lunch 25 cents to $2.75, and increase a la carte items, excluding milk, by 10 cents.
Voting against the motion were Directors Charles F. Mannello, Donna James, Robert Muldowney, Thomas Ditchey and Michael Brinkash. Supporting the motion were Dr. Ray Kraynak, Nicholas Goretski III and Michael Rovito. Kraynak's son, Raymond D. Kraynak, who also serves on the board, was absent.
Shana Stefanick, food service director for Nutrition Group, explained to the board that a new legislative timeline will mandate that lunch prices increase in the future to as much as $2.50.
She recommended that the proposed 25 cent-increase in lunch be approved by the
board, noting it would be better to increase the price gradually rather than implement a large increase all at once.
Goretski, who serves as board president, said the breakfast/lunch prices will be further discussed next month and hopefully be approved.
Co-op discussion
Tara Purcell, whose daughter plays volleyball, urged the board to consider dropping the co-op agreement with volleyball with Our Lady of Lourdes Regional School. She claimed the district would save money in transportation if Mount Carmel Area had its own volleyball team.
Purcell, former president of the Mount Carmel Area Parent-Teacher Association who remains active with the association, commended the Lourdes' players, coaches and parents for accepting the girls from Mount Carmel Area and playing well together. But she pointed out a major scheduling mistake during the season resulted in Lourdes forfeiting two volleyball games that cost the team a division championship and an opportunity to compete for Schuylkill League honors.
"I just hope you bring the volleyball team back home," Purcell said. "The girls belong here at Mount Carmel Area."
Athletic director Greg Sacavage explained to Purcell and board members that the district is required by the PIAA to sign a two-year contract for any sports involved in a co-op program, which means the current contract wouldn't expire until the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
Sacavage's comment about the two-year contract prompted Mannello to reply, "All contracts are made to be broken." Mannello has previously opposed the co-op program with Lourdes.
Dr. Kraynak said, "We can't change what's in the law. The PIAA requires us to have a two-year contract and I won't waste taxpayers' money by fighting a losing battle."
Late budget
Chris Venna, a resident of Den-Mar Gardens who serves as Shamokin Area Middle/High School principal, asked board members who was responsible for filing the proposed preliminary budget with the state Department of Education. Venna pointed out that the district could face fines for submitting the budget past the Jan. 25 deadline.
Financial consultant Charles J. Mannello, son of board member Charles F. Mannello, told Venna he was responsible for submitting the budget with the state Department of Education. But Mannello, who is a certified public accountant, said there were no fines involved with submitting the proposed preliminary budget late.
Mannello was hired by the board as a financial consultant after Venna's mother, Janis Venna, who served as business administrator for the district for many years, took a similar position with Danville Area School District last year.
In other business
- Herring, Roll and Solomon was approved to audit local tax collectors for 2011 at a maximum cost of $3,750.
- The board agreed to replace a steamer in the elementary school kitchen at a cost not to exceed $16,895.13.
- The board adjusted the hours, job descriptions and salaries of high school secretaries Tara Purcell and Rita D'Andrea from 7 1/2 to 8 hours per day at their current hourly rate.
- Directors accepted the resignation of Michelle Langton as a 3-hour per day cafeteria worker and added her to the supportive services substitute list.
- Mount Carmel Area Acting Superintendent Bernie Stellar congratulated the girls' varsity basketball team for making history by finishing its regular season with a 22-0 mark and capturing Division II of the Heartland Conference.
- A moment of silence was held at the beginning of the meeting for James and Pat Rosini, William Rosini and Deborah Korbich, who died in a two-vehicle accident Feb. 8 in Everglades City, Fla. The Rosinis lived in Coal Township, while Korbich resided in Elysburg.