Board reworks deal with YMCA for City Camp program
By Lauren Parker- Gill, News Editor, The Times
School board president Dean Snyder spoke of the agreement between the Coatesville Area School District and the YMCA for the Coatesville City Camp to be held at Scott Middle School from June 13 through August 19.
CALN – In a decision that has proven to be unpopular due to cuts in wages, and a reduction in employee benefits as well as costly changes to health care, the Coatesville Area School District has come to an agreement with the Coatesville Area Federation of Educational Employees (CAFEE – custodial, maintenance and food service employees) and will not be outsourcing for custodial services.
According to the press release after Tuesday’s school board meeting, the two-year agreement is effective May 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018 and will provide the district with $1.2 million in savings. These savings come with a 19.3% wage cut and salary freeze, lower costing health insurance plans, increasing the amount of payments each employee will be required to contribute to the cost of premiums. In addition, In addition, other benefits such as severance payments, vacation and tuition reimbursement are also being reduced, as well as the elimination of free meals for cafeteria workers.
East Fallowfield resident Sharon Ross, whose husband is the head custodian at North Brandywine Middle School, expressed her disappointment with the agreement as she stated that in addition to the cuts in wages, benefits and health care, custodians are often short-staffed and lacking in supplies.
“Do not expect service with a smile – you get what you pay for.” Ross said.
The board of directors went on to amend the request with the YMCA, to waive fees for the use of the facilities at Scott Middle School from June 13 through Aug. 19 for the Coatesville City Camp. Instead the board proposed that the YMCA use Scott School for free during the CASD business hours and pay $4,029 during the hours that extend beyond the business hours of the district to cover utilities and custodial fees.
School board president Dean Snyder went on to explain that the YMCA is not subject to any rental fees as per district policies, due to their status and according to district policy. Superintendent Dr. Cathy Taschner and school board members also took into consideration the limited number of rooms the camp would be using when camp is in session.
“When we analyzed how they’ll be using the building in excess of what the buildings would normally be used for during the summer, is how we arrived at a total cost to the district of just over $4,000. And we’ve arranged with the Y that they’ll be compensating the district for the additional cost that we’ll be incurring.” Snyder said.
Also proposed at the board meeting, was adding North Brandywine Middle School as an additional polling place, as waiting lines at Friendship Elementary have become very long in the past. The voting area would take place in the gym, where there are separate entrances to the school and would safely allow voters to enter and exit without access to the rest of the school. The board then voted to approve North Brandywine as an additional polling place in the district.
Items that were discussed at length at the last committee meeting and were voted under the consent agenda include bills payable, a contract extension with IXP Corp for video surveillance design and project management, the human resources report that included new hires, leaves of absence and the termination of Danette Murphy based on hearing officer James E. Prendergast’s Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law.
Also approved under the consent agenda were agreements with the Chester County Intermediate Unit for the services by the Brandywine Virtual Academy, the second reading of the 200 series of policies, a memo of understanding with Smile Pennsylvania that provides dental exams and services in the district, the German club’s trip to Germany in 2017 and the Spanish club’s trip to Argentina in 2017.
