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South Fayette board begins 2025–26 budget process; approves facilities truck and multiple personnel actions
Summary
Business office presented the budget timeline and variances; the board approved a facilities pickup purchase and a package of personnel actions and a stipulated adjudication agreement.
The South Fayette Township SD Board of School Directors began its 2025–26 budget process and approved several routine business and personnel items during the meeting.
Ryan Mueller, presenting for the business office, outlined a multi-meeting timeline for budget review. He told the board departments and schools will present their budgets over the next several meetings, with departmental variance discussion limited to changes of $2,000 or more. "We will need to pass a proposed final budget at the first meeting in May," Mueller said, adding the board will aim to pass a final budget at its second June meeting to meet state timelines.
Mueller walked the board through early variances in the business office budget. He attributed a roughly $900 increase in contract services to a three-year auditor contract signed last month and identified an upcoming biannual OPEB actuarial evaluation. He said some recruitment and applicant-tracking costs are being shifted to human resources now that the HR director will oversee those functions.
Dr. Miller presented five business-office items; four will be on next week’s agenda and one required action tonight. The board approved the purchase of a facilities pickup truck from Jim Shorkey of White Oak for $29,098 plus title and registration fees; the superintendent said the purchase was budgeted in the 2024–25 budget and would be retroactive to Jan. 31.
The board took a single combined vote to approve personnel items 3 through 10. Those items included retirements (paraeducator Patty Campanella; food service worker and lead Judy Kirkpatrick; bus aide and food service worker Cheryl Vaught), several hires (building substitute Chloe Lusk; paraeducators Jolene Nangle and Elena Turner), resignations, leave requests (including a sabbatical for Alicia Dorsey beginning Feb. 14), a student-teacher placement and extracurricular appointments (middle-school unified bocce and several musical stage and tech managers). The board recorded the motion and voted by voice; the minutes show the motion carried.
The superintendent and solicitor also recommended approval of a stipulated adjudication agreement pertaining to a high-school student; the board approved that agreement on a voice vote.
Votes at a glance: - Approval: purchase of facilities pickup truck from Jim Shorkey (motion moved by Board member Lehi; second by Board member Bill). Outcome: approved. - Approval: personnel items 3–10 (motion moved by Board member Projecta; second by Board member Esther). Outcome: approved. - Approval: stipulated adjudication agreement relating to a high-school student (motion moved by Board member Tom; second by Board member Esther). Outcome: approved.
Board members and administrators emphasized the timeline for departmental presentations: business, HR and communications were presented this meeting; athletics, technology and curriculum/instruction were scheduled for the next meeting; schools will present in March. Mueller said departments will focus discussion only on variances of $2,000 or more, and binders distributed to board members will be used throughout the process.
No further fiscal actions were taken tonight; the board closed the meeting by unanimous voice vote.
