Mill Creek board approves proposed 2025–26 budget, instructional purchases and several facility and personnel actions; rejects Asbury stormwater bids

The Mill Creek Township School District Board of Directors on Monday approved a proposed 2025–26 general fund budget, voted to buy new instructional materials and tools, authorized a series of operations and personnel items, and rejected all bids for an Asbury Elementary stormwater project amid an active legal challenge.

The board voted to adopt the proposed final general fund budget for 2025–26 with revenues of $123,754,939 and expenditures of $125,012,052 and set the real estate tax rate at 16.7412 mills, a 2.9% increase the board said is about $40.70 per $100,000 of assessed value. Board members were told the gap between revenues and expenditures is largely equipment purchases that the district intends to fund from fund balance; staff said projected budget results may change slightly before the final adoption in May.

Why this matters: the proposed budget sets the district’s tax rate and frames staff planning ahead of the final vote. Board members discussed the timing of equipment purchases and whether some buys should be accelerated because market prices could rise before July.

The board rejected all bids for the Asbury stormwater project, a plan to reroute runoff from Asbury Elementary through underground piping to lands the district previously acquired. The administration said the work aims, in part, to address a claim by the Angela Crest Trust concerning stormwater currently flowing across private property. According to district staff, Angela Crest Trust has appealed the permit, requested a stay, and filed injunction requests that remain unresolved; given the uncertain permitting timeline and a June 27 contract completion requirement for the work, the board concluded it must reject the bids.

Instruction and professional learning: the board approved several items from the Instruction and Student Services committee. The district approved the seven‑year purchase of Savas My World interactive social studies materials for grades 6–8 at a cost of $206,585.50 and approved an annual contract for an AI‑driven instructional platform at $66 per student per year (total $38,400 for year one). The AI tool passed on a roll‑call vote; Board member Lindner recorded a “no” vote during the roll call. The board also approved a student teaching affiliation agreement with Penn State Behrend (effective spring 2025–spring 2029) and approved one teacher’s attendance at the GLOBE Weather Pathways project June 10–13, 2025, in Charleston, South Carolina, at no cost to the district.

Operations and capital items: the board approved a block of finance and operations items that included replacing a failed operable wall in a Grandview Elementary multipurpose room ($197,000), a district camera project to replace indigo and Pelco cameras with previously purchased Rhombus cameras ($384,000), a service agreement for software/hardware monitoring ($6,024 annually), and approval of one‑time and recurring safety/security services from Raptor (one‑time $6,289; recurring $41,529.25; total $47,818.25). The board also approved a resolution to designate revenues from extracurricular participation fees, gate receipts, facility use fees, advertising, Coke rebates and 25% of investment income to a committed fund balance for maintenance of extracurricular activities, replacing a 2018 resolution.

Personnel and policy actions: the board approved policy 234 (pregnant, parenting, married students) on first reading, accepted the April personnel report with multiple hires, resignations and leave notices across buildings, and approved an ESS contract renewal and revised job descriptions that came through the personnel committee.

Community and foundation updates: Mill Creek Education Foundation representative Chris reported gifts and fundraising activity, including a more than $10,000 fundraiser in memory of Marty Caverman, nearly $4,000 raised at a Red Fox Inn charity bowling tournament for a Michael Palermo Memorial Scholarship Fund, ongoing scholarship application reviews, and the MEF golf tournament scheduled for June 26 at Whispering Woods Golf Club.

Public comment: a single public commenter, Mr. Alioto, told the board he believes the meeting was not properly posted three days in advance and said he intends to pursue a federal complaint; district staff responded that the agenda had been posted on Friday and that the district follows its established posting practices.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to approve agenda: passed (voice vote). - 5.01: Purchase Savas My World grades 6–8, $206,585.50: passed (voice roll call; recorded as approved). - 5.02: AI instructional platform, $66/student ($38,400 total for one year): passed (roll‑call: multiple yes votes; Lindner voted no). - 5.03: Penn State Behrend student teaching affiliation agreement (2025–2029): passed. - 5.04: Teacher attendance at GLOBE Weather Pathways (June 10–13, 2025), no cost to district: passed. - 6.01: Policy 234 first reading (pregnant/parenting/married students): passed. - 6.02: April 20 personnel board report (hires, leaves, corrections): passed. - 6.03 & 6.04: ESS contract renewal and revised job descriptions: passed. - 8.01: Reject all bids for Asbury stormwater project: passed (voice vote). - 8.02–8.09: Block (operable wall replacement, service agreement, camera project, Raptor tech, payroll/accounts reports, donations, committed fund balance resolution): passed. - 8.10: Proposed final general fund budget 2025–26 (revenues $123,754,939; expenses $125,012,052; tax rate 16.7412 mills): passed (roll call).

What’s next: the district will publish the proposed final budget for public inspection and will return May 27 for a final budget adoption vote. The Asbury stormwater project remains on hold pending resolution of permit appeals and litigation.