Greensburg-Salem holds line on taxes, taps covid relief funds -- but not for librarians
Jun. 24—Greensburg Salem School Board approved a final 2021-22 budget that will hold the line on property taxes.
The board also agreed to use covid-19 pandemic recovery money to complete internet technology and HVAC upgrades.
The $48.1 million budget and 89.72-mill tax rate were approved 8-0, with Stephen Thomas absent.
The budget includes money for an elementary band teaching position and a grant writer, an in-house technician for technology matters and a part-time curriculum administrative assistant.
A number of residents also wanted the district to restore three school librarian positions that were eliminated through attrition. Administrators said that could not be done without a tax hike and recommended against covering costs of the positions by using one-time pandemic relief funds, allocated to the district through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) program.
Board member Lynna Thomas said she approved the budget reluctantly and expressed hope the district will search for alternatives for reinstating librarians at two elementary schools and the middle school.
The board agreed to pay CCL Technologies $451,411 to upgrade technology infrastructure at the middle school and senior high. That project will be covered by a second round of ESSER funding the district has in hand.
"With the added student devices used in the classroom, we just don't have enough internet capability," said Business Manager J.R. Dzurica.
Greensburg Salem also will pay more than $3.8 million to install new HVAC controls at all five district schools. The price from Trinity Automated Solutions was obtained through the COSTARS state bidding program and is to be covered through a third round of ESSER funding the district has yet to receive.
The district has wanted to replace the aging manual control system for several years, Dzurica said.
"This will allow us to control each building with a smartphone," Dzurica explained. "Right now, we can't control the thermostats remotely."
The controls recently malfunctioned at the middle school. "It would either blast heat or the a/c wouldn't work," Dzurica said.
He said the HVAC project falls within the ESSER program's intent to improve the health and safety of those inside school buildings.
"It will increase the air flow so we won't have stagnant air that germs like to hide in, and it will be more comfortable for students and teachers in the classroom," he said.
The board also approved a bid of $29,500 from All American Athletics to resurface the senior high gym floor. The floor last received attention in 2005, Dzurica said.
Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .
