Tuesday, April 20, 2010

State orders release of youth football records

April 20, 2010

Patrick E. Litowitz
New Castle News

NEW CASTLE — A state agency has ordered the release of records involving New Castle’s youth football program.

City school board member Barbara Razzano has pursued financial information of the operation, which is run by Red Hurricane head football coach Frank Bongivengo Jr. When her Dec. 16 request went unanswered, she appealed to the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records.

Superintendent George Gabriel said the district is willing but unable to comply.

“At no time have the records requested been in the custody, control or possession of the (district),” Gabriel answered in an affidavit to the agency. “(To) the best of my knowledge, information and belief, Mr. Bongivengo is in possession of the requested records.”

The state’s response: Get them.

“The district must take necessary steps to acquire the requested records and provide them to (Razzano),” appeals officer Audrey Buglione wrote in her April 12 decision.

The district has until May 12 to appeal in Lawrence County common pleas court. Gabriel said last night he will discuss the ruling with district solicitor Charles Sapienza.

The school board voted to take over the youth program March 12, 2008. Bongivengo was appointed to oversee the organization but did not receive compensation.

The district does not fund the program. Concession sales at Taggart Stadium during the district’s football games provide the money necessary for operations.

Razzano presented two requests to Gabriel under the state’s Right To Know Law.

“Following an athletic committee meeting, Mr. Bongivengo agreed to turn over the records that had been initially requested by (Razzano),” Gabriel said. “The district immediately disclosed those records upon receipt.”

The agency did not provide the date or nature of the first request.

Razzano’s second notice, submitted in December, sought the following items: an original bank statement with balance totals and check descriptions; deposit slips, bank information from March 12, 2008, through June 17, 2009; a list of all signers for banking; and the minutes and names/titles of the executive committee.

“Once again, I contacted Mr. Bongivengo providing a copy of the second request,” Gabriel said. “Mr. Bongivengo has not provided the (district) with those records.”

Bongivengo, through his attorney Jonathan Solomon, said the records were not subject to the Right To Know Law. However, they would be made available for inspection.

An attempt to contact Solomon and Razzano for comment was unsuccessful. Bongivengo said he had not seen the ruling.

In her report, Buglione wrote the district’s resolution to run the program included the commitment “to finalize all financial obligations.”

“Therefore, the financial records of the (youth) program are records of the district,” she continued. “The record reflects that the district failed to adopt a procedure or policy that enabled it to maintain access to its financial records related to the (youth) program and carry out its resolution to finalize financial obligations.

“This does not relieve the district of its obligation to gain control of the records in response to a right-to-know request. An agency is required to provide access to its public records even when an individual who is in physical possession of the records is refusing to comply with the agency’s request to turn the records over.”

Friday, April 16, 2010

Gabriel: No need for policy committee

April 16, 2010


By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Superintendent George Gabriel displayed a thick binder with pages of guidelines stuffed inside.

Topics ranged from programs, pupils and finances to operations of the New Castle school system.

Ninety-nine percent of those policies were created without the input of a policy committee, Gabriel said.

That advisory panel ceases to exist. A prolonged quarrel involving board member Barbara Razzano over the committee’s purpose led to its elimination during Wednesday night’s school board meeting.

“What was the purpose of policy committee? I have no idea,” Gabriel said. “It hasn’t been functioning in years.”

Working with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, the district spent two years constructing a policy manual with the backing of the city school board.

The board pays the association to provide preliminary policies and updates. The policies are meant to guide the district and conform to federal and state laws and regulations.

“You’ll see on a monthly basis a revision of board policies,” Gabriel said. “I cannot think of a time when we did not have a revision to a board policy.

“I’m conformable doing that because it has passed legal scrutiny from the PSBA, and it has been given a review by our solicitor.”

In the case of assistant principal Ralph Blundo, the board had to revise a policy preventing administrators from coaching. He was named the high school boys basketball coach at Wednesday’s meeting.

Bradley G. Olson Jr., who chaired the now-defunct group, said the revision was discussed at an athletic committee meeting and Monday’s work session.

“There was no request made to me as the head of the policy committee to have a meeting on it,” he said. “It could have been done simply.

“This policy was discussed thoroughly. We made a proper decision.

“I did not see any documentation from Mrs. Razzano, who had a problem with the policy.”

Board axes policy panel

April 16, 2010


By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

After Ralph Blundo scored, New Castle benched its policy committee.

Wednesday night’s hiring of a new high school boys basketball coach allowed an assistant principal onto the court. It also produced an unexpected result: the disbanding of a school board committee.

As the board’s agenda progressed, so did the increased sparring over the group’s function.

Before the vote on Blundo’s selection, the board had to revise athletic guidelines that previously prevented district administrators from coaching.

Anna Pascarella, Barbara Razzano and Dr. Marilyn K. Berkely outlined their concerns.
Pascarella talked about the importance of an administrator’s duties.

Berkely focused on the overall effect.

“It sends a message to the staff, students and community that policy at the whim of school board can be scrapped.

“It destroys moral and the credibility of the school.”

Razzano raised issues surrounding the process, wording and rationale for the move.

When the vote took place, Pascarella joined the board’s six other members and passed the revision.
Eight policy changes followed. Razzano’s questioning of a tax levy guideline prompted Superintendent George Gabriel to respond.

“The (board) meets every Monday prior to our regularly scheduled board meeting,” Gabriel said. “Mrs. Razzano, you’ve missed the last eight meetings. Are you aware of that?”

When she answered “Yes,” he continued.

“That would have been a perfect forum for you to express any opinion that you had regarding our policies. I went through ... each and every one of those policies with the board as a whole.

“If you would start attending caucus meetings, you would have more of a say-so.”

Razzano said she teaches on Monday nights, which prevented her from attending. The state’s Public School Code of 1949 requires board members to attend regular meetings but does not address work sessions.

She added that previous gatherings proved to be contentious.

“It seems like every time I come here, there’s an argument breaking out.”

The superintendent disagreed. Razzano then pointed to Monday’s work session in which board President J. Allan Joseph criticized her and Berkely.

Before the meeting’s end, Gabriel requested that the board craft a motion abolishing the policy committee.

“If you’re not going to use it, you might as well get rid of it,” said Razzano, who helped pass the measure in a 7-0 vote.

Fellow policy committee members — chairman Bradley G. Olson Jr., Mark Kirkwood, Mary Ann Tofel and Pascarella — did not speak against the move.

Karen Humphrey and Joseph voted with the majority. Mozzocio passed on the measure.

“I don’t know enough about it to even comment,” said Berkely, who declined to vote. Her action was recorded as a “pass.”

Olson, an attorney, said after the meeting that the group functioned in an advisory role. He said it had not met during the five months he has been on the board.

“The decision to abolish the policy committee was made in the spur of the moment,” Razzano wrote later in an e-mail. “I believe that this was a mistake.

“I have been a strong advocate of policies that are clear, concise and complete.”

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Lack of support affects committee assignments

April 13, 2010

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

The eye doctor received an earful during the New Castle Area School Board’s work session last night.

Board President J. Allan Joseph chastised Dr. Marilyn Berkely as Superintendent George Gabriel attempted to discuss policy revisions.

Joseph viewed Berkely’s inquiries as one example of a perceived lack of faith in his leadership. Berkely said her questions were just that — questions.

The first policy reviewed last night involved allowing administrators to coach district sports teams.

A few questions were brought up before Gabriel moved to family and medical leave guidelines. Berkely returned to the initial topic.

“It’s kind of hard when I’m not involved in any of this,” she said. “You just have to go a little slower.”

Joseph responded.

“Dr. Berkely, if you don’t mind, you’ve thrown a few comments like that. I just want to explain to you why you are not on the (athletic) committee.”

“I just want you to go a little slower because I am not keeping up with you. That’s all,” she said.

“You’re making comments that ‘I’m not on this committee so I’m not up (on this),’” Joseph replied. “You and Mrs. (Barbara) Razzano did not vote for me, did not have confidence in me (as board president).

“Therefore, I kind of feel the same way.”

The disagreement can be traced to December when Joseph handed out assignments. Out of 10 committees, Berkely and Razzano were each selected to three.

The Neshannock-based optometrist serves on budget and finance. She is the lone board member on the legislative and cafeteria committees. She also is on the subcommittee for feasibility study. Razzano services on the policy, safety and sick bank committees.

“Three of 10 committees, that’s the position they put me in,” Berkely said prior to the board’s executive session. “I feel powerless.

“I will do the best job I can do.”

Razzano, who did not attend last night’s session, said she wasn’t surprised by Joseph’s comments.

“This is the mentality of our current board president,” she said in an e-mail last night. “This type of leadership has no place around the education of our children.

“(Either) you are with Allan Joseph or you are against him. If you are with him, you are rewarded, and, if you are against him, you are punished."

Joseph said Berkely and Razzano have been invited to attend the district’s other committee meetings. For example, Razzano attended last week’s gathering on schoolwide consolidation.

“That has never been a problem,” he said.

During the work session, Berkely renewed an offer she made to Joseph.

“I asked you if you wanted to take (the committees) away,” she said. “You could still do that.

“You can take them all away if you want to.”

Joseph declined to accept that offer.

Gabriel worked to guide the board back to the agenda.

“With all due respect to the board members, I don’t think this conversation is productive at all.”

Monday, April 12, 2010

School closures to fund project

April 12, 2010

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Closing three primary centers will provide the funds needed to pay for the New Castle Area School District’s consolidation project.

Business manager Joseph Ambrosini highlighted the potential $800,000 in annual savings. His assessment came last week during a school board subcommittee meeting assigned to review a districtwide facilities study.

“If we don’t do anything, we’re still going to pay out $800,000 yearly on old buildings,” Ambrosini said.

“It’s like running a furnace with a hole in the roof and the windows broken,” board member Dr. Marilyn Berkely said.

Superintendent George Gabriel along with Ambrosini and fellow administrators Stan Magusiak and Terance P. Meehan offered their recommendations: Renovate Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center into a kindergarten-through-second-grade learning center at a price of approximately $21.3 million.

Dave Esposito of Eckles Architecture and Engineering noted the district might have to acquire 18 to 19 acres as part of the Lockley renovation. The state would reimburse the district 80 percent of the acquisition costs.

The district’s third-graders would move to George Washington Intermediate Elementary and join the fourth- through sixth-graders. Improvements to the site would total $8 million, which are eligible for 100 percent reimbursement from the state. Updates would include a new heating system, security improvements and additional enhancements.

“That building is in very good shape,” Esposito said. “(The improvements) should give that building a new lease on life for 20 years.”

Ambrosini said the savings from closing Thaddeus Stevens, John F. Kennedy and West Side primary centers had to be economically significant before committing to the project.

The annual cost to operate these centers with state reimbursement included is $700,000 to $900,000. Savings would come in the elimination or reduction of utilities, transportation, capital improvements and staffing (cafeteria, maintenance, custodians, personal care assistants).
During the next 10 years, 22 teachers are expected to leave the district through retirement or furloughs. That will create about $2.2 million in savings. Those numbers do not include reductions in administrative staff.

Four of the five board members — Karen Humphrey, Anna Pascarella, Maryann Tofel and Berkely — were prepared to accept the administration’s recommendation and pass it to the full board for a vote. Bradley G. Olson Jr. asked for more time to review the proposal.

Olson questioned Ambrosini about the implications of a declining student enrollment on the education subsidy received through the state.

The business manager said he does not foresee a reduction in the money New Castle receives.
“What is the bottom dollar to the citizen of New Castle?” Olson asked. “Are we going to now come out of pocket even more to pay for these upgrades in schools or is it going to maintain the same amount of taxes that I’m paying right now?”

Gabriel responded: “I don’t see any new taxes (taking place) as a result of this consolidation … based on these projections. I’m not saying there’s never going to be a millage increase in this district.”

The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 26.

As the meeting ended, one board member used the term “construction” to describe to project. Berkely corrected the statement.

“I think if we were to build new, we should all get run out of town,” she said.

“I agree with you doctor, but you didn’t hear me say that,” Gabriel said. “It’s never been an option.”

***
April 13, 2010

Clarification: The annual cost of the New Castle Area School District’s proposed consolidation project is 700,000 to $900,000 during a 20-year period. That amount includes state reimbursement. The information was unclear in Monday’s edition.

Friday, April 9, 2010

School board to review consolidation options

April 6, 2010

By PATRICK E. LITOWITZ
plitowitz@ncnewsonline.com

Dollars will dictate how New Castle Area School District classes are reorganized.

A school board subcommittee begins reviewing the district’s options at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the administration offices, located at 620 Fern St. The group is made up of Dr. Marilyn Berkely, Karen Humphrey, Bradley G. Olson Jr., Anna Pascarella and Maryann Tofel.

“A decision has to be made,” Superintendent George Gabriel said. “We’re looking at buildings that are substandard.”

Former board member Donna Donati formed an ad hoc committee during her tenure as president in 2008. Her goal was to evaluate the district’s building needs with input from the community, administration and board members.

Enrollment numbers bolstered the need for a review. During the 2008-09 school year, New Castle reported 3,433 students. The Pennsylvania Department of Education, based on a 2008 report, projected a loss of approximately 800 students by the start of the 2018-19 session.

A report prepared by Eckles Architecture and Engineering in June 2009 presented eight options. The choices were trimmed and revised. However, when Donati met with the board in late February to discuss the committee’s work, she did not offer a final decision.

“There are too many variables,” she said. “We did not select options. All we did was review the predominant ideas.”

Donati said the group’s concern focused on the finances of the district and its taxpayers. She noted a wave of increasing expenses, such as pension contributions, teaching and administrative salaries, health insurance premiums and potential tax increases.

Declining enrollment and property values mean fewer dollars funneled into the school system.
“We have taken multiple measured steps in the last six years to cut costs, through attrition and cutting support staff,” Gabriel said. “We look at ways of making the budget more lean.”

Business manager Joseph Ambrosini said the district could apply between $3 million and $5 million from its fund balance to pay for a potential project. Federal stimulus dollars would permit funding through zero or low-interest bonds.

He said every effort will be made to avoid a property tax increase, something that hasn’t taken place in the last seven years.

The boards members are not required to adhere to ad hoc committee’s input.

The latest report from Eckles featured five proposals. Gabriel said he favors the creation of a kindergarten through second-grade learning center on the site of the Harry W. Lockley Kindergarten Center.

Third-graders would join the fourth through sixth grades at George Washington Intermediate Elementary School.

The addition to Lockley would increase its size from 38,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet at a cost of $21 million. Renovations to George Washington are estimated at $8.3 million and would be phased in.

State reimbursement to New Castle is estimated at $14.8 million.

Gabriel said the district may purchase property surrounding the school. However, eminent domain would not be used to acquire the land.

The plan also calls for the closure of Thaddeus Stevens, John F. Kennedy and West Side primary centers.

“I get the feeling we’re all for a new primary center if we have the money,” Donati said.

If the current economic climate remains in place, she said, then the district should make do with what it has.

“It’s not the building that educates the children; it’s the personnel that educate children.”