ECASD Board of Directors Table Vote on Budget; Pass Tax Increase

Although the Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Directors voted unanimously (with Director Jennifer Tomon absent) to table a motion to approve the General Fund Budget (view it here) for the 2026-27 fiscal year in the amount of $36,941,103.00, they did approve a tax increase.

The tax resolution sets the tax rates for the 2026-27 fiscal year to include the ACT 679 $5 per capita tax, the ACT 511 $10 per capita tax (a shared tax by municipalities), property tax millage at 22.0800 mills, Earned Income Tax at .5%, Realty Transfer Tax at .5% and the Occupational Privilege/Local Service Tax at $5.00.

The increase comes as the district is facing a $1.1 million budget shortfall. Signs of financial strife became apparent to the public in April as the Board of Directors considered allowing administration to to study the staffing needs of the district for a possible employee furlough. Ultimately the motion was defeated in a 4/4 vote. At that time, the district was facing a $3.5 million deficit but has since worked to make cuts.

According to John Zahorchak of EDM, A financial and operations consulting firm for education, special districts, and municipalities, and consultant for the district, just about every school in Allegheny County is raising taxes this year. He also said that the Ellwood City Area School District has the lowest fund balance of 490 schools across the state, and advised the board that the ultimate goal is to restore the fund balance to a positive as he acknowledged the board’s efforts to reduce the deficit from the original $3.5 million.

“You substantially closed that gap,” he said. “It’s a significant achievement, but there is still work ahead.”

Board Director Kevin Boariu said he would like district administration to provide a lineup of “structural changes” needed to better the district’s financial standing by the board’s special meeting on June 17 or he will find it hard-pressed to pass a final budget. He said he would like to see a balanced budget next year, so that the district will not continue to need bonds to meet financial obligations.

“We are not the federal government,” Boariu said. “We can’t just keep borrowing.”

Anderson said administration will not be able to meet that request by that time. However, the board in May authorized administration to work with PFM Financial Advisors LLC, as Municipal Advisor on a financing plan, that district officials hope will change the district’s financial woes. At that time, PFM presented the board with three scenarios of options of financing plans (view the scenarios here) and said that scenarios one and two were more fitting for the district’s needs. Both options included the same amount of cash, but the first option included a caveat where a district owned building would be leased to an “entity,” tying the district to that “entity” for 20 years. Upon discussion, and at the guidance of Matt Lentz, CEO of EDM, the board decided to put scenario two on the table for a vote and the motion passed with “Yes” votes from all board directors with the exception of Erica Gray.

Melissa Maze of PFM spoke at the May meeting and said this financing plan is strictly a strategy for cash flow relief, not an overall solution. She said the key will be finding the structural balance.

“This will buy you the time to make the structural changes,” she said.

Upon the vote, PFM worked to prepare the financing plan for the district, and the Board of Directors passed the following motions as part of that plan during Monday’s Regular meeting:

• The long-term borrowing solution including the issuance of General Obligation Bonds, in an amount not to exceed $7,250,000 in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Unit Debt Act, for the purpose of providing funds for funding a portion of the School District’s Unfunded Actuarial Liability. (Director Gray voted “No”).
• The adoption of a resolution authorizing the issuance of a Tax and Revenue Anticipation Note, in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Unit Debt Act. (Director Gray voted “No”)
• And the adoption of a resolution authorizing the funding of an escrow account and the execution of an escrow agreement, to defease a portion of the School District’s General Obligation Bonds, Series of 2025.

Other motions passed:

• Motion to approve the May 4, 2026, Committee Meeting Minutes, the May 11, 2026, Regular Meeting Minutes.
• Motion to approve the 2026-27 Homestead/Farmstead Exclusion calculation and resolution implementing the Homestead/Farmstead exclusion at $17,523 or $386.91 for the 2026-27 tax year.
• Motion to approve the following insurance contracts as administered through the Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Insurance Agency be awarded to CM Regent, ACE and UPMC as presented at a total cost of $191,595.00.
• Motion to approve the addendum to EDM Financial, LLC.
• Motion to approve the 2026-2027 Revised Lawrence County Career and Technical Center Budget in the amount of $8,105,626.00 with operating costs of schools at $6,053,000. (Directors Jean Biehls, Claire Fauzey, and Gray voted “No”).
• Motion to approve agreement between Hosack, Specht, Muetzel & Wood, LLP and the district for local auditing services for years ending June 2026 through 2028. (Director Boariu vote “No”).
• Motion to accept the following resignations:
  1. Taylor Lane, NS Custodian, effective May 27, 2026.
  2. Rebecca Rose, LHS Custodian, effective May 15, 2026.
  3. Colleen Mazzanti, Hartman Cafeteria Worker, effective June 4, 2026.
  4. Monica Kantola, NS Teacher, effective July 1, 2026.
  5. Patricia Meyer, LHS Cafeteria Worker, for the purpose of retirement effective September 15, 2026.
  6. Nathan Brown, Cross Country Head Coach, effective May 11, 2026.
  7. John DiBuono, Girls and Boys Tennis Coach, effective June 5, 2026.
  8. William Baker, Boys Assistant Golf Coach, effective June 5, 2026.
  9. Nicholas D’Itri, Instructional Aide, effective June 5, 2026.
  10. Haeley Barker, Perry Cafeteria, effective June 4, 2026.
• Motion to approve the resignation of Judy Kindle from the Ellwood City Area Public Library Board effective May 31, 2026.
• Motion to approve the resignation of Kevin Boariu from the Ellwood City Area School District Board of Directors effective July 31, 2026.
• Motion to hire Chris Ludwig for a three-year contract as Head Cross Country Coach beginning with the 2026-27 school year.
• Motion to approve additional fall coaches for the 2026-27 school year:
  1. Robert Main, Jr. High Equipment Manager Football
  2. Sarah Brown, Volunteer Soccer
  3. Robert Shimrack, Assistant Football Coach
  4. Levi Smith, Assistant Football Coach
  5. Sean McConahy Jr., Volunteer Football Coach
• Motion to approve the following teachers who have completed six successful semesters with a Satisfactory evaluation:
  1. Luke Franchuk LHS
  2. Brian Burkhart LHS
• Motion to approve April Vasbinder as the Secondary Summer School Health Teacher.
• Motion to approve Mykkia Sipe as mentor teacher for second year teacher, Ava Ekstam.
• Motion to approve the following FMLA leave requests in accordance with the Family Medical Leave Act and Policy 335.
  1. Employee 0018 – Intermittent effective May 11, 2026, to June 5, 2026
• Motion to approve the following head teachers for the 2026-27 school year:
  1. Craig Mills, Perry
  2. Gary Rozanski, Hartman
• Motion to fill the Perry Lower Intermediate Health Office with a school nurse with preference to school nurse certified.
• Motion to reassign the following teachers for the 2026-27 school year:
  1. Michelle Hall from Perry to North Side Autistic Support Classroom.
  2. Diane Lechner from Perry to Hartman Grades 5/6 Learning Support.
• Motion to approve the following sponsors of the Reel Adventures Fishing Club for 2026-27:
  1. Tiffany London
  2. Mike Garvin
  3. Curt Agostinelli
  4. Tom Natale
  5. Shelby Beck
• Motion to approve the following Facility Requests:
  1. Ellwood City Little Wolverine are requesting a change to their prior facility request that was approved at the May meeting. Additional dates for approval are Saturday, August 29, 2026, and Saturday, September 12, 2026. Times will be determined in accordance with JV and Varsity sports schedules. They no longer need the October dates that were approved on May 11, 2026.
• Motion to approve the disposal of obsolete, unused, and damaged equipment, 30 window air conditioning units from LHS in accordance with Policy 706.1.
• Motion to sell District Police Vehicle EC-1, a 2013 Chevrolet Impala as surplus property through Municibid after removal of all police related equipment in accordance with Policy #706.1.
• Motion to approve the following field trips/social events:
  1. LHS History Club is requesting to take approximately 48 students on the annual History Club trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania by bus from Saturday, May 22, 2027, to Tuesday, May 25, 2027. The bus will depart LHS at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 22, 2027, and return at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 25, 2027.
  2. The Reel Adventure Fishing Club is requesting to take fishing excursions on local waterways within a sixty-minute ride from Lincoln High School outside the normal school day as follows:
  a. Up to one day each week from July 1, 2026 through August 31, 2026.
  b. Up to one day each month from September 2026 to May 2027.
  c. Up to one day, each week during June 2027.
• Motion to approve changes to the 2026-27 Elementary School Handbook.
• Motion to approve the Cray Youth and Family Services Agreement for the 2026-27 school year at a cost of $15,473.69 per slot, a $450.69 increase from last year, with five slots guaranteed for a total cost of $77,368.45.
• Motion to Review and Approve Safety Report for the 2025-26 school year as presented by John Sovich Director of School Safety and Security.
• Motion to approve the Cray Youth and Family Services Project Search Agreement at a cost of $14,300 per student, an increase of $500 from the 2025-26 school year. We have one slot for the 2026-27 school year.
• Motion to approve the agreement with The School at McGuire Memorial for the 2026-27 school year at a cost of $67,391, a decrease of $471.00 from last year and the 2027 Extended School Year (ESY) Program at a rate of $356/per day, an increase of $25 from last year.
• Motion to approve the Amergis Healthcare Staffing Inc. agreement for the 2026-27 school year as presented to provide nursing staff solutions.
• Motion to approve the agreement with Williams-Cleaveland Company for Student Athletic Insurance for the 2026-27 school year with an annual premium of $18,638.00 at no change from last year.
• Motion to approve the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit Special Ed Contract for Programs and services for the 2026-27 school year at a cost per student of $46,500.00 for 4 students, a total cost of $186,000.00, an $8,000.00 increase over last year.
• Motion to approve the following policy for first reading:
  1. Policy #237.1 Mobile Devices
• Motion to approve the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit Special Ed Contract for Programs and services for New Horizon North for the 2026-27 school year at a cost per student of $46,500.00 for 2 students, a total cost of $93,000.00.
• Motion to approve Extended Season Pay for the attached list of coaches who advanced their teams to postseason play at $100 per week for head coaches and $50 per week for assistant coaches.