The Blairsville-Saltsburg school board approved a rate increase for certain substitutes and accepted a safety grant from the state. The board also addressed the future of Saltsburg’s football program in light of the Heritage Conference’s concern over a game Saltsburg forfeited earlier this season.
In his Student Activities / Athletics Committee report, the board’s Michael Bartolini said it is the committee’s recommendation to continue Saltsburg’s football program as it is, but with an emphasis on increasing the participation of student athletes. Board president Rick Harper said it will be a community effort:
“The community itself is going to try to promote participation. How they get that done, I’m not real sure, but they’re going to make an effort.”
Additionally, the board approved an increase for long-term sub rates from $20,000 to $30,000 per 180 days, with the addition of three personal and two sick days. Harper said the board has been considering the increase for some time:
“It’s not new to us, it’s something we’ve been discussing for a while, and we’ve finally got it done. Really, $20,000 a year for a four-year degree person is not much.”
In other news, the board accepted a school safety grant through the state’s Safe Schools program in the amount of $32,500. Harper spoke to the district’s plans for the funds:
“It’s going to help pay for our school resource officers, and some– I can’t talk about security of course– but some of the ideas and equipment that we’re going to try and implement here.”
Lastly, the board approved the purchase of new lawn equipment for mowing and use in snow removal. A Ventrac mower was purchased in the amount of $27,500 for use on the Blairsville campus. For Saltsburg, two Kubota machines were purchased; an RTV utility vehicle for $14,000 and a tractor for $16,500.
