Special Board of Education Meeting

The Moon Area Board of Education held a special meeting on February 18, 2013, at 7:00 p.m., called to order by the president. Eight directors were present, and 18 people attended, including reporters from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Beaver County Times.

The board approved the preliminary 2013-14 General Fund Budget, moved by a director and seconded by a director. The budget projected total funds available drawn from local sources, state sources, federal sources, and other sources. Total appropriations were approved, with the largest single category being regular instruction. Other notable allocations included special instruction, operation and maintenance of the plant, fund transfers, and a budgetary reserve. All directors voted in favor on a roll call vote.

In audience recognition, a resident asked whether the budget included any furloughs. The superintendent did not file a report. A director responded that no specific furloughs were included and that the revised budget did not reflect a tax increase. The solicitor cautioned that the preliminary filing was necessary to preserve the board's ability to raise taxes by the Act 1 index later in June, noting the budget was based on trends rather than specific assumptions and that the full process could take two to three months. A director described the vote as merely the beginning of the process, and a director called it the first step in a longer negotiation. A director congratulated the gymnastics team on winning the state championship two years in a row. The meeting adjourned at 7:06 p.m., moved by a director and seconded by a director.