PENNCREST to consider budget, renovations

Mike Crowley, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 2—HAYFIELD TOWNSHIP — PENNCREST School Board will take its first look at the preliminary 2024-25 budget when it meets today for the monthly work session at 7 p.m. in the district's central office, 18741 Route 198. Board members will also hear reports on extensive renovations planned for the district's Cambridge Springs school buildings.

The budget discussion comes after the board last year approved a property tax increase of 0.5 mills and a general fund budget of $57.8 million. Despite the increase, the budget still came with a deficit of $590,000 that was to be paid from the fund balance of approximately $13.8 million.

At the time, the district's teachers were working without a contract. In February, the board approved a new contract with the union that represents PENNCREST teachers. The new contract retroactively increases teacher salaries for 2022-23 by 1.45 percent. Subsequent raises for the current year and the next three years are set at 2 percent each year, according to the union.

Since the 2012-13 school year, the district's property tax rate has increased 10.6 percent from 48.59 mills to 53.75 mills, according to data provided by the district. The owner of a property assessed at the district's median value of $30,275 pays annual school taxes of $1,627.28.

The 0.5 mill increase last year was the third in a series of such increases designed to address capital borrowing of $10.3 million in 2020 and 2022 used for building renovations — including the upcoming Cambridge Springs work.

The renovation proposals up for consideration include a $2.03 million plan to address a variety of issues at Cambridge Springs Junior-Senior High. The proposal includes $284,000 for gymnasium bathroom upgrades; $899,000 for boys' and girls' locker room improvements; $725,000 for student bathroom renovations; and $120,000 for sewer pipe relining.

The COSTARS proposal for the 7-12 building is from McClure Company of Harrisburg. COSTARS is the state's cooperative purchasing program.

A proposal for the elementary school roof replacement project from Farrell Roofing of Erie includes a variety of options ranging in price from $1.4 million to $2.1 million and with warranties of 20 to 30 years. The option recommended to the board is a synthetic rubber roof made of ethylene propylene diene monomer or EPDM for $1.47 million with a warranty of 25 years. The cost is equivalent to $21 per square foot.

Included in the project is installation of insulation for 19 percent of the roof where there is no insulation. Existing insulation will be reused for the rest of the roof.

Mike Crowley can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at mcrowley@meadvilletribune.com.