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Octorara Area SD board approves personnel, facility and grant actions; bond purchase moved off tonight’s agenda
Summary
At its meeting the Octorara Area School District board approved multiple personnel appointments and resignations, several facility and maintenance contracts, and two solar‑grant resolutions; a $17.5 million bond purchase agreement was pulled for a future special meeting due to insufficient members present.
The Octorara Area School District Board of School Directors voted on a range of personnel, facilities and finance items at the regular meeting.
Board leadership announced the $17,500,000 bond purchase agreement with Raymond James & Associates Inc. was removed from the agenda because two‑thirds approval is required and only five board members were present. The board said it expects to schedule a special meeting, properly advertised, to consider the bond purchase.
Among approvals the board voted to accept the general fund report for the period ending 12/31/2024 and approved a bills‑for‑payment list totaling $2,207,549.35.
Personnel actions approved included supplemental coaching contracts (listed in the motion as multiple named individuals for winter sports), athletic worker appointments, two intramural supplemental appointments to operate the fitness center, a volunteer girls basketball coach appointment, and a change of a CTE secretary position from 10 to 12 months effective 01/22/2025 with the stated prorated salary. The board also approved the hiring of an autistic support teacher (salary and step listed in the motion), auditorium student workers at $12.50 per hour, and other named hires noted in the agenda.
The board accepted several resignations and retirement notices with regret, including the resignations of Carol Johnson (instructional assistant) and Christine Robinson (dental hygienist) for retirement, and accepted the retirement notice of Dr. Christian Haller as intermediate school principal effective 10/25/2025.
Facility and maintenance approvals included replacement and service items at the wastewater treatment plant (an EQ blower replacement for $2,602.80 and cleaning/service of the EQ tank for $7,450), and purchase and installation of new basketball backboards at the high school for $13,616. The board also approved a resolution applying for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Solar for Schools Grant Program for classroom‑tied solar equipment (a “Smart Flower” unit) and related installation; the motions to apply for the DCED solar grants passed.
Board members also received committee reports (policy and finance), and the policy committee flagged a forthcoming discussion of the facility use fee schedule. The meeting included presentations by two student groups (the Leo Club and FFA/ag mechanics), and several board members and administrators publicly thanked departing staff and recognized student work.
Votes at a glance (as recorded at the meeting): - Approval of minutes (facility committee, reorganization meeting, work session 12/02/2024; policy, finance and regular meeting 12/09/2024) — Motion passed (all in favor). - General fund report for period ending 12/31/2024 — Approved. - Bills for payment — Approved ($2,207,549.35). - Supplemental contracts and athletic workers (multiple named hires listed under agenda item K, L, M) — Approved. - Intramural supplemental appointments to operate the fitness center — Approved; board discussed posting and schedule details to be communicated on district channels. - Volunteer girls basketball coach appointment — Approved. - CTE secretary change from 10‑month to 12‑month (Rebecca German) effective 01/22/2025 (salary prorated) — Approved. - Autistic support teacher hire (Maduri Sakrudar; salary step listed) — Approved. - Student auditorium workers (two names) at $12.50 per hour — Approved. - DCED Solar for Schools Grant resolution(s) (classroom‑tied equipment and Smart Flower installation) — Approved. - EQ blower replacement (M & B Environmental) — Approved ($2,602.80). - EQ tank service/cleaning (Quantum Environmental Enterprise) — Approved ($7,450). - Basketball backboard replacement (Degler White League Inc.) — Approved ($13,616). - Resignations/retirements (Carol Johnson; Christine Robinson; Dr. Christian Haller retirement notice) — Accepted with regret.
Several routine motions were approved by unanimous voice vote as recorded in the meeting. The board noted it will schedule a special meeting to consider the bond purchase agreement and continue evaluation of timing for debt issuance.
