Beaver Area School District board approves consent agenda, ratifies $5.8 million in vendor invoices and multiple service contracts

The Beaver Area School District Board of School Directors voted Aug. 12 in the high school library to approve a broad consent agenda that included a legacy donation, multiple vendor contracts, and the ratification of more than $5.8 million in General Fund invoices for June and July 2024.

The motion to approve consent agenda items 4.1 through 13.4 was made by Luke Berardelli and seconded by Mark Korcinsky; the motion carried with all listed directors voting aye. The meeting was called to order by Merilu Hill at 7:59 p.m.

The board accepted a legacy donation from the Huzyak Family Trust to establish the BAHS Varsity Football Support Fund (BVFSF). The district said the fund will be administered according to the trust’s guidelines as presented to the board.

Financial approvals included authorization for the Director of Business Services to certify claims to the Tax Claim Bureau for properties subject to Upset Sale by Aug. 30, 2024; permission to obtain a Pennsylvania sales tax license; and approval to open a new bank account or payments platform to receive public payments. The board ratified General Fund invoices of $2,574,801.17 for June 2024 and $3,241,331.09 for July 2024.

Other finance items approved under the consent agenda included Food Service Fund invoices of $94,449.71 for June and $58,138.41 for July; Activities Fund invoices of $9,087.69 for June; and Capital Reserve and Capital Projects bond invoices as presented.

The board also approved numerous contracts and service agreements for the 2024–25 school year. Notable items approved: • Beaver Valley Intermediate Unit (BVIU) special education programs and services at $44,500 per student per year. • The Watson Institute educational services at $61,368 per student per year. • Outreach services with the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children at $124 per hour. • A Pre‑K Counts collaboration with Lifesteps, Inc., which includes a $10,000 rental fee to the district if terms are met. • Renewal of the Raptor Technologies visitor management service for $2,715 (Sept. 1, 2024–Aug. 31, 2025) and a separate quote of $105 for visitor badges. • BearCom radios: purchase and programming of eight portable radios for $5,340.25 and a service agreement of $335 per month for the district’s 67 radios (annual service total listed as $4,020). • MERP (Safeguard Risk Solutions) annual software agreement for 275 users at $1,025.

Transportation items approved included driver and route lists, base service and activity rates and an activity bus agreement with Frye Transportation (Midland activity bus at $90/day) for the 2024–25 school year. The public comment period included a transportation update by DJ Frye earlier in the meeting.

The board voted on these items as a single consent package; the motion was made by Berardelli and seconded by Korcinsky and recorded as carried with aye votes from Berardelli, Bovalino, Hill, Korcinsky, Pilarski, Thompson, Walker and Yates.

Next steps: The board scheduled a September work session for Sept. 23, 2024, and a September voting session for Sept. 30, 2024. The meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.