Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Board Reorganization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Blackhawk School Board elects 2026 officers, approves routine financial and facilities actions
Summary
At its Dec. 4 reorganization, the Blackhawk School Board elected Dr. Carol Sprinker president and Rachel Klein vice president, approved liaison and financial appointments, reappointed a solicitor retainer of $9,000 per month, approved a chiller contract and heard a BVIU update on a construction loan capped at $15 million.
Dr. Carol Sprinker was elected president of the Blackhawk School Board on Dec. 4 during the district’s reorganization meeting, and Rachel Klein was approved as vice president in unopposed voice votes.
The board then confirmed a slate of liaison and officer appointments for 2026–27, including Adam Vanzlinch as board secretary and Matt Schulp as treasurer, and approved the calendar of 2026 board meeting dates. "I am humbled and appreciate your confidence in me, and I'm excited for another great year," Dr. Sprinker said after the vote.
The panel reappointed its legal counsel under a retainer described in the agenda as $9,000 per month; the motion referenced prior board approval on Feb. 22, 2024, and carried by voice vote. During the work session the board’s solicitor described a recent Supreme Court interpretation affecting open‑meeting rules and the process to amend an agenda during a meeting, emphasizing that a board must vote to amend and then post the revised agenda with reasons.
Board members approved standard financial housekeeping items: the Beaver County Times as the newspaper of general circulation for official notices; the listed banks as depositories of district funds; and the named firms for investment of district funds. The board also approved monthly bill payments and accepted the November financial report.
On facilities, the board approved a contract with Fredericks and Sons to replace an intermediate‑school chiller. A board member said the project’s current price came in about $100,000 below the earlier capital projects estimate of $400,000 and noted the plan includes a sound barrier. "I wanna thank Draw Collective and Mr. Fleischmann for working with this," the member said.
During discussion of a prior agenda item tied to the New Horizon proposal, Dr. Manatta reported that the Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit (BVIU) had accepted a proposal from WesBanco and planned to draw a construction loan. "That amount at this time will not exceed 15,000,000," Dr. Manatta said, noting that BVIU expected to finalize scope and costs by Dec. 5, meet Dec. 10 to refine the plan, and take votes on final documents on Dec. 17. Because the earlier New Horizon proposal had not received the required two‑thirds vote in November, the board voted to remove item 8.1 from the voting session as moot.
The board approved the Human Resources report for Dec. 4, 2025, and encouraged the public to attend upcoming holiday concerts and events. The meeting closed with a welcome to new board members and a reminder that the next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at Vineland Middle School.
