BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE MINUTES

APRIL 3, 2006

 

Members of the Board Finance Committee met on Monday, April 3, 2006, at 6:45 p.m. in the Superintendent’s Conference Room. Present were School Board Members Dr. Craig Haytmanek, Charlene Koch, Rosario Amato, Diane Rowe, Joseph Craig, Judith Dexter, Loretta Leeson, William Heske, and Margaret Williams. Also present were Dr. Joseph A. Lewis, superintendent of schools; Stanley J. Majewski, Jr., assistant to the superintendent for finance and administration; and members of the press.

 

COURTESY OF THE FLOOR – None requested.

 

MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT – As a part of Bethlehem Area School District’s bargaining contracts, the district is required to adjust the reimbursable mileage rate effective September 1 of each year to commensurate to the IRS rate for the current year. The district’s current reimbursable mileage rate is $.405. Effective September 1, 2006, the rate for school district employes shall be $.445. An agenda item for board action will be presented at a future meeting.

 

LEASE RENEWAL – Mr. Majewski informed the board that the property the school district owns at Farmersville Road and Freemansburg Avenue has been leased to a farmer for quite a number of years. The rental charge is $1,000 per year. The land is leased on a year-to-year basis in case there is need for the district to use the property. For the coming year it is not anticipated that the land would be necessary for school district use. Mr. Majewski has spoken to the farmer, and he has an interest in continuing to rent the land. Mr. Majewski asked for approval to renew the lease for the coming year.

 

Mrs. Rowe asked if we are receiving fair market value for the property. Mr. Majewski replied that it is not fair market value, but that the arrangement we have allows us to receive some revenue and not have to maintain the property. The lease renewal will be voted on at the April board meeting.

 

OPEN FORUM – At last month’s Board Finance Committee Meeting, Mrs. Leeson requested a breakdown of payments made to Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 for the past five years.

 

Mr. Majewski distributed a list which indicated various categories of services and what the district paid for this year as well the totals paid over five years.

 

Also at the request of Mrs. Leeson, a summary of how the principals budgeted their building allocations was distributed.

 

Mrs. Koch asked if the board would be receiving the technology inventory she had requested? Dr. Lewis replied that Mrs. Lutcher would be preparing the inventory and would be sending it out in the next board mailing.

 

The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

Minutes prepared by Confidential Secretary to the

                        Assistant to the Superintendent for Finance and Administration