Gov. Mifflin School Board Censures Member

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gov. Mifflin School Board member Elaine K. Fiant has been using her position to harass one of the district’s vendors and has repeatedly flooded school administrators with requests for information, her colleagues said Monday night.

On Monday, the board voted 8-1 to censure Fiant, with Fiant voting against the measure.

Board member Jill Koestel read the resolution aloud and said the move came after Fiant recently used her authority on the board “to intimidate and harass” one of the district’s vendors.

“It’s just unfathomable to me,” Koestel said. “It’s so wrong. It’s so inappropriate and so outside your scope as a school board member.”

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Governor Mifflin Administrator Pushes For Maximum Tax Hike

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The $1.88 million shortfall in the Gov. Mifflin School District’s 2013-14 budget draft could turn into a surplus if the board continues with a proposal to raise taxes the most state law will allow, administrators said Monday.

The district had thought the nearly 5 percent tax hike would fall short of balancing the $64.67 million preliminary budget the school board approved last month.  But Business Manager Mark R. Naylon told the board Monday that the district would be able to save more money than expected.

Even with the rosier financial outlook, Naylon urged the board to continue making budget cuts where it can and to still consider the maximum increase, which would raise the tax rate by 1.186 mills.

“When you have something available, you have to take advantage of it,” he said.

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Governor Mifflin School District Still Grappling With $2 Million Shortfall

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Eliminating or curtailing academic programs should only be a last resort for closing the $2.1 million gap in the Gov. Mifflin School District’s draft 2012-13 budget, administrators told school board members Monday.

But if the district wants to keep that option open, it needs to get started soliciting state approval to make program changes.

Administrators suggested that board members vote next week to ask the state’s permission to scale back technical education, world language and family and consumer science programs, eliminating five teaching positions.

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