Butler Area School Board approves three-year Metz custodial contract, Act 1 tax resolution and multiple consent items

The Butler Area School District Board of School Directors on Jan. 19, 2026, unanimously approved a three-year custodial services agreement with Metz Custodial Services, adopted the district's 2026'2027 Act 1 tax resolution and passed a broad consent agenda that included overnight student trips, grant application resolutions and curriculum updates.

The board voted to award the Metz contract after school leaders said the firm would provide operational control, supervision, training and purchasing recommendations to assist custodial staffing. Dr. White told reporters the agreement is three years long and that "no district employees will be displaced," and the board approved the motion (mover Phil Heasley; second Terry Stivason) by unanimous voice vote.

The meeting also included approval of the Act 1 Tax Resolution, which the board said keeps any future tax increases within the Act 1 index for the 2026'2027 year. The consent agenda passed in a single slate of votes that covered a range of items: approvals of minutes, personnel and conference reports, the district's finance and business reports (the auditors presented a clean audit), multiple overnight field trips (including a Gettysburg trip, a cheerleading trip to Orlando and a PMEA District Band trip to Sharon), adoption of novels for kindergarten through eighth grade, a parent transportation contract and a student hearing recommendation.

Board members also approved resolutions and funding commitment letters for Public School Facility Improvement Grant applications for Center Avenue Community School and Northwest Elementary School roofing projects; the board noted a $100 application fee per submission.

On a separate consent action, the board approved a tax assessment appeal settlement for Moraine Point Plaza. Ms. Bonzo told the board the adjustment will be phased over 2025'2027; the district will repay nearly $59,000 for tax year 2025 and expects to lose roughly $120,000 in tax revenue in 2026.

In policy business, Dr. Slamecka presented a first reading of a new less-lethal policy developed with the Director of School Security; the school police researched procedures and training for pepper gel as a less-lethal option. The board advanced Policy 718.1 (Therapy Dogs) at second reading and tabled Policy 915 (Relations with Community-Based Booster and Parent Organizations) until next month. Board members approved the first and second readings for the items on the agenda (item 4.03 was tabled).

Superintendent-level and district updates were given early in the meeting: during the winter break the Backpack Program distributed more than 32,000 food items to families; the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation awarded seven teaching grants; Kim Lockheiser, a bus driver for Center Township Elementary School and a paraprofessional at the Intermediate High School, will receive a RISE Award on Jan. 27, 2026; and the board is scheduled to receive the D. Richard Win Distinguished School Board Award on March 26, 2026.

The meeting concluded at 8:19 p.m.; an executive session was reported after adjournment.

Votes at a glance: Gettysburg overnight field trip (approved; mover Phil Heasley, second Terry Stivason; unanimous); Metz Custodial Services Agreement (approved; mover Jennifer Cummings, second Phil Heasley; unanimous); Act 1 Tax Resolution (approved; mover Jennifer Cummings, second Phil Heasley; unanimous); Consent Agenda items 3.01'3.17 (approved; mover Jennifer Cummings, second Phil Heasley; unanimous); Grant application resolutions for Center Avenue and Northwest Elementary (approved); Tax assessment appeal for Moraine Point Plaza (approved; phased adjustment; repayment and revenue impacts noted); Policy items 4.01'4.02 readings approved (4.03 tabled).