Board of Education Meeting

The Moon Area Board of Education met September 8, 2014, at 7:00 p.m., with the president presiding and eight directors present. The board approved the minutes from June 25 through August 25, 2014, and a suite of reports in the September Financial Report, then approved the bills across the General, Activities, Food Service, and Capital Project funds.

The most contentious business concerned the Elementary Capital Improvement Program and a contract with MM Architects of Lancaster for architectural, engineering, and construction management services. After the base motion passed, a series of amendments were offered and voted on by roll call. Amendments requiring the chief financial officer to review the firm's three years of profit-and-loss and balance sheets, and to conduct reference checks, passed. Amendments to table the item pending financials, cap the architect's compensation, hire a separate construction manager, strike reimbursable-expense provisions, and require reference checks before voting all failed, with three directors typically voting in favor of the restrictions. The final contract motion passed except for one director's dissent. The board also authorized a payment for catastrophic accident insurance covering interscholastic athletics, cheer, band, and non-sport extracurricular activities.

On personnel, the board accepted the retirement of the Director of Facilities effective September 30, 2014, and a middle school guidance secretary effective December 31, 2014; authorized eliminating the Director of Facilities position and creating a Facilities Supervisor role; approved a childbearing leave for a mathematics teacher; and hired a Payroll Specialist starting September 22. It also approved extra-duty pay, remediation facilitators, fall sports management staff, substitutes, and a substitute. The board approved a MAHS choral (CANTARI) field trip to Disney World April 15–20, 2015, and approved conferences, including the superintendent's October leadership conference, while requiring attendees to report their findings. The Moon Transportation Authority's planned withdrawal from tax diversion and the Thorn Run Intersection upgrade were noted. The meeting adjourned at 8:52 p.m.