Shippensburg board approves budget shares, vendor contracts and expansion design; Act 93 compensation plan passes after executive session

The Shippensburg Area School District board approved several finance, contract and facilities items in its May 26 meeting, including operating budget obligations, consultant agreements and preliminary design authorization for an intermediate school expansion.

Administration recommended approval of the Franklin County Career & Technology Center 2026–27 operating budget. The district’s share was presented as $838,240 for general operating expenditures plus $119,147 for renovation debt, a combined total of $957,387 — a decrease of $124,687 from the previous year. The board approved the recommendation.

The administration also recommended retaining Allison Huber as a special‑education consultant to support an autism initiative and internal coaching. The agreement was described on the agenda as $75 per hour with annual costs not to exceed $55,000; the board approved the contract.

A contract with a government software vendor to print and mail real‑estate tax bills for fiscal year 2026–27 was approved, as was a list of authorized signatures for district funds (the agenda listed the board president, vice president, the business manager and HR director among authorized signers).

The board voted to approve an agreement with New Story Schools to provide intensive academic and behavioral interventions for special education students in 2026–27. A roll call recorded votes in favor from Mr. Kerry, Mr. Sudters, Dr. Goats, Dr. Lyman, Mr. Nogle, Mr. Scott and Mrs. Wolfinger; Mr. Losi abstained.

Directing staff to begin design and permitting, the board approved the intermediate school expansion option (the “pod version of option five”), which would allow third and sixth grades to move to the intermediate school; the board discussed a possible phased approach and indicated cost and phasing decisions would come at later votes.

The board approved two van drivers recommended for district service; members asked administration to confirm whether board approval of contractor employees is required by district policy and said they would follow up with the solicitor.

The board recessed to an executive session to discuss contract and personnel matters before returning to vote on the Act 93 administrative compensation plan (term July 1, 2026–June 30, 2030). A roll call after the session recorded yes votes from Mr. Kerry, Dr. Goats, Dr. Lyman, Mr. Nogle, Mrs. Wolfinger and Mr. Losi; Mr. Scott and Mr. Sudters voted no. The motion passed.

No litigation, statute citations or ordinances were referenced during the votes; administration said several discussion items (MOAs, renewals, affiliation agreements and facility requests) will return for board action after staff review.