COAL TOWNSHIP - Two Shamokin Area School Board Members argued Tuesday over athletic training services provided to the district.
Directors Charles Shuey and Edward Griffiths debated the hiring of STAR Inc. Marion Heights as the district's athletic trainer for a three-year period at a cost of $36,298 per year with an option of providing away-event coverage at an additional cost of $500 per year.
Upon seeing the motion on Tuesday's agenda, Shuey asked why STAR was awarded the contract even though another business submitted a lower bid.
"When we first opened the proposals, Phoenix Rehabilitation, of Shamokin, quoted us a price of $11,000 less than what STAR is asking," Shuey said, "and that included the away coverage."
Griffiths said Phoenix did not have certified athletic trainers in the original proposal, but Shuey said that isn't a requirement.
"We opened the proposals, and then in the time we were taking to compare them, the requirements changed, and Phoenix did not resubmit their proposal," Shuey said. "We are going to pay more money to a firm that is not a local tax-paying company. They pay their taxes in the Mount Carmel Area School District."
In addition, Shuey said there were issues between some Shamokin Area coaches and a trainer employed by STAR.
STAR owner Tom Swaldi addressed the board during the discussion and said the situation was remedied as soon as he learned Shamokin Area was not happy with the trainer provided.
Swaldi also discussed his experience in the athletic training field.
"I've worked with colleges and high schools throughout the country. The level of service you are getting with this contract is the same as would be found in a collegiate program," Swaldi said.
He also discussed the treatment of injuries and the aftercare STAR provides.
"As far as concussions go, we work not only with the cognitive thinking, but also the balance issues. My wife, who works with me, is one of the country's foremost experts in the field, and the equipment we have to test balance issues costs more than our house."
"This is nothing against STAR and the work they do," Shuey said. "I just think we need to support a local firm that pays taxes in our district and can save the district approximately $11,000 a year before the rules were changed."
Griffith said a petition was signed by all coaches, saying they wanted STAR to be the district's trainer.
The motion was approved by an 8-1 vote with Shuey casting the lone dissenting vote. Voting for STAR were Ron McElwee, Jeff Kashner, Treina Mariano, Brian Persing, Robert Getchey, Tracey Witmer, Griffith and Bernie Sosnoskie.
In other business:
- Shannon Fetterman was promoted to the position of elementary assistant principal, working 260 days a year at a salary of $61,000, plus other benefits described in the Act 93 agreement, contigent on modifications to the agreement.
- The Northumberland County Career and Technical Center budget for 2013-2014 of $1,603,745 was passed. Shamokin Area's share is $630,347 and any surplus funds remaining will be applied to the districts 2014-2015 expenditures.
- The board secretary's terms will be corrected from a one-year term to a four-year term, effective July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2017.
- The revised 2013-2014 school calendar to include Northwestern Academy days of instruction was approved.
- The reconfiguration of the elementary school to become two separate educational entities - the Shamokin Area Elementary School for students in pre-K through 4th grade, and the Shamokin Area Intermediate School for students in fifth and sixth grades - was approved.
- Shamokin Area will take over the full-time elementary autistic support classroom from the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit and develop a full-time autistic support classroom at the middle/high school.