DINGMAN, PA — Following a lengthy executive session on March 20, the Delaware Valley (DV) Board of Education approved a $17,000 appropriation to fund a feasibility study for a new Career Technology Education and Workforce Development (CTE) facility, to be done by Burkavage Design Associates and educational consultant Clyde K. Hornberger Ed.D.

The district’s existing facility on the Westfall campus dates from 1975, and improvements to the program have been a recurring discussion on the board for the past several years.

Several years ago, former superintendent Dr. Candis Finan outlined the time problem for the district to expand the CTE program. At the time, the DV daily schedule simply did not allow the time to include enough program to qualify for federal/state Perkins Grant CTE funding.

That issue has been corrected and support of CTE improvements became a talking point for candidates in last year’s board elections.

Other financial issues

In other business, business manager Bill Hessler reported that as of March 20, the district had received no federal payments in lieu of the property taxes lost to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Hessler said that the payment, which was not in the President’s budget, is a scheduled $675,000 school budget line item. He went on to say that the delay “is not the first time this has happened.”

Superintendent John Bell said due to sequestration, the payment is reduced from the normal $750,000. “We’ll never get it all, but zero is just crazy. It would amount to two points [change] in our taxes,” he said.

Commenting on the treasurer’s report, Budget and Finance Committee Chair Jack Fisher noted that the district retains no surplus. Funds retained include $7.3 million for increasing payroll retirement costs, $3.3 million for employee post-retirement cost increases and $2.1 million for uncompensated leave time for former employees.

The district does budget $350,000 in “unreserved” funds but those funds are not carried over, Fisher said. “We’re allowed to keep zero in excess.”

The district still has to fund construction costs for the planned elementary school in Matamoras. Fisher said that with interest rates rising, “We need to borrow in the near future to avoid higher rates next year.”

Regarding planning for the 2014-15 budget, Fisher said the board needs to make a decision on a tax increase between zero and 4.5 %. “I know that some are adamantly against it, but I think we need to aggressively seek additional funding.”

Additionally, the board hosted presentations of the district’s championship boys and girls swimming and diving teams and wrestling team.

Separately, Elizabeth Watkins, chair of the secondary science department, provided a program outline of the district’s extensive secondary science offerings.