The Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board met last night and gave preliminary approval to a budget that will hold the line on taxes, but school officials are saying “don’t hold your breath.”
The budget presentation made by Business Manager Angela Mellinger showed that the budget as it stands now would have a surplus of roughly $340,000. Revenues would come in at $35,419,149 and expenditures would top out at $35,078,715. Board President Rick Harper said that there’s another committee meeting coming up soon and that could mean some changes to the budget from Mellinger and from board vice president Holly Hall.
–Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board President Rick Harper
The final budget will be approved at the next regular meeting in June.
In other business, the board approved a vendor to develop the district’s ESCO project, but the vendor listed on the agenda, McClure Company, was rejected in voting by Harper, Linda Brown, Beverly Carnese, Holly Gibson and Michael Bartolini. After the rejection of McClure Company, Harper proposed ABM Company take the contract, as he felt that they were more financially secure. The board approved ABM by a 5-3 vote, with Anthony Canzano, Holly Hall and Marlene Joyce voting against the motion.
