The Lebanon County Career and Technology Center’s Joint Operating Committee unanimously approved several new hires at its meeting Tuesday, Aug. 20.
The committee hired Timothy Mehl as special populations coordinator, Adam Hartman as the center’s second computer technician, Whitney Wright as a custodian, Deborah Eliott as a part-time adult education secretary, Tina Pitt as a substitute health room assistant, and 16 other substitute teachers. The substitute rate is $140 per day.
Director Andra Groller reported that all the center’s programs had been filled except for media communication. She said the CTC had a waitlist of over 200 students.
While no action was taken on Tuesday, Groller said “our goal is to move four full-day classes to half-day” to open up seats for around 80 students on the wait list.
The committee also heard an update on a feasibility study first requested at a special meeting in April.
Read more: CTC board approves needs study, hears complaint about nursing program closure
Groller said a comprehensive plan will be available for review during the board’s September meeting, with approval expected in October. A payment of $4,928 was made to Beers + Hoffman Architects, which is performing the study.
The committee also unanimously approved the minutes for its June 18 meeting. (There was no meeting in July.)
During public comment of that meeting, LebTown reporter James Mentzer said he felt the committee was in violation of the Sunshine Act due to lack of discussion on agenda items. He requested that his objection be recorded in the minutes. The Sunshine Act requires agencies to conduct their deliberations in public
While the minutes were inaccessible from BoardDocs at the time of reporting, LebTown obtained a copy of the June 18 minutes. Under public comment, the minutes state: “James Mentzer, LebTown, provided public comment on the Sunshine Act.”
In other news, the board:
- Unanimously agreed to changes to the student handbook. Groller said after the meeting the changes were minor in nature.
- Heard that the CTC is planning a committee member dinner and tour, with members split into a group the last week of October and one the first week of November.
- Unanimously agreed to the CTC’s participation in the PDE Technical Assistance Program for the upcoming school year.
- Heard that educators have been prepped for a PDE evaluation Dec. 16, 17, and 18.
- Unanimously approved the attendance of two school counselors to the PACTA Fall Workshop for CTE School Counselors at State College for an estimated cost of $778.
- Unanimously approved a transfer of $41,401.09 to the cafeteria fund, retroactive to June 30. Groller said after the meeting this was a routine transfer.
- Unanimously approved financial, cafeteria, and student activity reports.
- Unanimously agreed to pay bills totalling $1,818,254.92, including the aforementioned Beers + Hoffman payment.
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