Shikellamy directors explain no votes to accepting $556,000 in grants, 2024 graduation list

May 20—SUNBURY — Three Shikellamy School District directors voted no to the graduating class of 2024 and to accepting $556,000 in grant money during a heated May 14 public meeting but they didn't even know it, they said Monday.

Directors Julie Brosius, Joe Stutzman and Tom Webb said they voted no on a few items that were simple decisions, because they couldn't hear, or thought some of the items had been pulled out to vote on separately.

All three directors say they take the blame for the votes they made, but want the public to understand since they took office in December, they have not received support or direction from some of the current members.

During Shikellamy meetings, when votes are made, unless a director requests to pull something out from any section, the votes would start alphabetically at A and go through whatever the last item to be voted on in that category is.

During last week's meeting, Stutzman, Brosius and Webb all voted against accepting $556,000 in grants to provide after school programming, a school police office grant and funding for various programs in the district.

The same three also voted against accepting the 2024 graduation list, which is provided to the board for approval.

The directors said not one other director, not Superintendent Jason Bendle or Assistant Superintendent Jeremy Winn stopped the meeting and informed them of what they were doing but instead continued on to rush the meeting through.

Bendle said Monday all board members receive the agenda well in advance. Work sessions also include a review of the agenda and what will be voted on the following week.

"Any agenda items that change between the work session and board meeting, we send a separate email out noting any changes from the work session meeting," he said.

"I've offered and will continue to offer any board member who has questions to meet with me to discus items or concerns, but I do not feel it is my role to pressure any board member for their vote on any item. Their vote is their vote."

Under personnel items at the May 14 meeting, the three directors, and director Jenna Eister-Whitaker all voted against giving Bendle full authority to hire employees between meetings.

Eister Whitaker, Brosius, Webb and Stutzman also all voted in favor of extending ESS, the New Jersey company used by the district to employee the paraprofessionals in the district, and to hire solicitor Matt Slavinski and keep solicitor Mike Levin.

Brosius, Stutzman and Webb said they would never knowingly vote against accepting grant money, or a graduation list and also would have voted no to ESS and the both solicitors had they not been rushed.

The public agendas are out 24 hours prior to the meeting for the public, and board members are given extra time to review what is being considered to be voted on.

Brosius said she will address the public herself at the June 4 meeting.

"I will officially rescind and correct some of my voting replies that apply to the May 14 meeting," she said. "Some of the current directors are very skilled at conducting a meeting by coordinated rapid fire and low verbal tone as well as telling new board members nothing about procedures."

Brosius said she requested in the past to bring forward some items separately, and she was shot down.

"Why?" she said. "The May 14 meeting brought disgruntled people to the meeting for a coaching candidate, which many of the board members were not even aware of the position nor the interviews. The question the public should be asking is what is going on in this district?"

Directors failed to hire a varsity girl's basketball coach during the meeting.

Webb said it is hard to hear at meetings.

"As anyone who has ever attended a school board meeting would know that it is impossible to hear," he said. "We have a tech person in the room and yet the microphones don't work, and when they do, they are so low you still can't hear. It is obvious I have to be better at educating myself on these agendas and read them over 20 times because as new board members we have received zero help from some members on the board. I don't think anyone would believe we would knowingly vote against grants or a graduation list."

Webb, who has been on the hunt for a local solicitor, said he also voted in favor of hiring the Slivinski Law Firm, of Selinsgrove, and keeping Philadelphia attorney Mike Levin as special counsel, but he didn't know it.

"As far as the solicitor vote, they bundle everything together, it is rushed, and on top of it when we are voting no, we are voting on topic like the solicitor bills with hundreds of other bills. This was a confusing meeting for new members with so much going on."

Stutzman said he also asked to have votes separated and was told it takes too much time.

"They make these long motions instead of breaking things out and being new and things going so fast, this now happened," he said.

"There are videos out there of these meetings, and I urge the public to watch them. If this doesn't change on how we take votes, then I will request for each and every vote on everything to be broken out every meeting."

The board also accepted $7,999 in donations from Service First Federal Credit Union for 35 chairs and a stage rack for the Shikellamy Field House. Director Mike Thomas recused as he is the CEO of the bank.

Members also accepted a $65,000 donation from W&L Subaru to be paid over 30 months to purchase equipment for the weight room at the new football stadium.