NEW CASTLE —
New Castle Area School District’s superintendent is unhappy about the board’s refusal to hire a janitor.
On a 5-4 vote, the board rejected George Gabriel’s recommendation to hire Geary George as a full-time evening custodian for the John F. Kennedy Primary Center.
George had worked as a substitute custodian in the district for six years.
But some of those who voted against his hiring said their votes were not personal, but for budgetary reasons.
No votes were cast by Barb Razzano, David DiGiammarino, Anna Pascarella, Dr. Marilyn Berkely and Mary Ann Tofel.
Board president Allan Joseph and member Stacey Fleo did not attend the meeting but voted by phone in favor of the hiring. Karen Humphrey and Mark Kirkwood also cast yes votes.
“It was not a budgeted position,” Razzano said after the meeting.
According to DiGiammarino, consensus votes twice before in executive session resulted in it being rejected.
The district had a substitute in the position for a year and the board had agreed not to pursue a permanent hiring because conditions may change if the Lockley School consolidation project proceeds, Razzano explained.
“This was the third time they brought it to us, and nobody had any interest in doing anything that wasn’t in this year’s budget,” she said.
“Adding another position, in my opinion, I don’t think is a smart move,” she said. “I prefer not to add to a budget that’s already in a deficit,” meaning money would have to be pulled from the fund balance.
“I’m hoping that maybe the custodial staff can get together and make this work somehow. We’re hoping they can shift around or maneuver somehow and be a little creative.”
Gabriel let his feelings be known to the board.
“I’m very upset about this position not being filled.”
He explained the person filling the job would be cleaning classrooms after school and emptying wastebaskets as part of the evening work and that would leave the janitorial staff short-handed soon.
DiGiammarino said despite the board’s previous disagreement with the job, “we still haven’t received or been given any options on ways to make this work. There are solutions to every problem. It’s not the board’s job to come up with solutions. It’s the board’s job to vote on solutions given to them by the professionals.”
His biggest reason for voting down the position, he said, is that the money for it is not in the budget.
“We’re operating on an $840,000 deficit budget. Where I come from, any increase in that deficit is hard for me to say yes to. I don’t operate on a deficit-spending mentality.”
The district’s $14 million in reserve is great, but that can go away very quickly, DiGiammarino continued. “I’m hard-pressed to agree on anything that is going to increase that deficit and pull more money from the fund balance.”
He explained the union is not letting the district fill the position with a substitute janitor again this year. Rather, it is requiring a full-time person be hired, with benefits.
“In my mind, whether it’s $5,000 or $6,000, it’s increasing the deficit.”
Pascarella pointed out that the three times the board has considered the position have been since June 28, after the 2012-13 budget was adopted.
“My stance was known before I knew the name of the individual,” she said, adding she voted no for budgetary and other reasons.
Berkeley and Tofel both echoed that the janitor position is not in the budget and they had voted no because of that.
(Email: dwachter@ncnewsonline.com)
New Castle
Related Photos
Discussion
School board says no to janitor hiring
- New Castle
-
-
New Castle school board highlights
At its May 15 meeting, the New Castle school board:
-
City students place flags at gravesites
Band students from New Castle High School placed flags at a local cemetery Thursday. The activity at Castleview Memorial Gardens was in preparation for the Memorial Day holiday and included flag insertions at the graves of veterans.
-
Own a piece of history: Watch the trailer for ’Canes’ DVD!
Relive all the magic of New Castle High’s WPIAL championship basketball season by purchasing a collectible DVD or special section that was given out at the team’s banquet. Both were produced by the New Castle News!
-
New Castle offering summer school
The New Castle school board approved plans for summer school classes. The district will offer summer school to children in kindergarten through third grade with a $10,000 grant the district received from the Hoyt, Carolyn Knox and Community foundations.
-
Our Opinion: State audit says city school district failed to collect from non-residents
Audit information about non-resident students who didn’t pay tuition at New Castle raises more questions than it answers. At least so far. We expect more details when the Pennsylvania auditor general’s office completes its report and the New Castle school district provides its response.
-
New Castle Schools: District answers two state audit findings
New Castle school district administration answered two of the findings in a state auditor general’s preliminary report. The audit, which has not yet been finalized, covered the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years. The preliminary report also contains an observation, which the district answered.
-
New Castle Schools: Finding pinpoints nonpaying out-of-district pupils
New Castle school board members are waiting for the final determinations of a state audit that contained three preliminary findings. Earlier this month the board publicly discussed those findings from the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years, and the district administration has responded to two of them to the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General.
-
Primary 2013: School board candidate tops campaign spending
Historically, spending by school board candidates has paled in comparison to those running for other local offices. But not this year, at least with one candidate — George J. Gabriel.
-
Our Opinion: We endorse candidates for New Castle board
The New Castle school district is often a study in contrasts. There are complaints about the district on everything from taxes to nepotism, from test scores to ethical slights. Yet at the same time, plenty of students within the district excel. It’s a tribute to the hard work of those students, their families and the educators who support them.
-
New Castle Basketball: Former 'Canes' standout to play professionally
New Castle High graduate and Slippery Rock University basketball standout Devin Taylor is going pro. Taylor signed a professional contract yesterday to play for the Etzella Ettelbruck Basketball Club in Luxembourg for the 2013-2014 season.
- More New Castle Headlines
-
New Castle school board highlights
