LCCTC signs public safety agreement with South Lebanon Police Department

This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project.

Lebanon County Career & Technology Center (LCCTC) board members on Aug. 19 entered into an agreement with South Lebanon Township Police Department concerning public safety at the school. 

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) states that it is being “entered into pursuant to the Public School Code, as amended, including the Safe Schools provisions.” 

LCCTC administrator Chuck Benton said the police department sought the MOU with the school, which serves as the career and technical education training center for all six Lebanon County public school districts. The LCCTC is located in the 800 block of Metro Drive in South Lebanon Township near U.S. Route 422.

He added this is an annual agreement between the two entities. 

Part of the provision written in all caps notes that LCCTC staff must first investigate all potential criminal acts before calling SLPD.

That section of the agreement states: 

“SOUTH LEBANON POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL NOT ACCEPT COMPLAINTS DIRECTLY FROM PARENTS/GUARDIANS OR STUDENTS INVOLVING INCIDENTS THAT OCCUR AT LEBANON COUNTY CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER. INITIAL INVESTIGATIONS OF SUCH COMPLAINTS SHALL BE CONDUCTED BY LEBANON COUNTY CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER STAFF. IF LEBANON COUNTY CAREER & TECHNOLOGY STAFF DETERMINES IT IS APPROPRIATE TO CONTACT SOUTH LEBANON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THEN LEBANON COUNTY CAREER & TECFINOLOGY (sic) STAFF SHALL PROMPTLY CEASE THEIR INVESTIGATION AND CONTACT THE SOUTH LEBANON POLICE DEPARTMENT.” 

The agreement all stipulates the responsibilities for each party and notes that “the Lebanon County Career & Technology Center and the South Lebanon Police Department agree to work together to prevent potentially troublesome and/or illegal behaviors-by students and, whenever possible, will coordinate their efforts with respect to students and their families.”

Benton told LebTown after the meeting that the school has its own security department and that SLPD does not supply officers for the school when it is in session.

TechLink Consortium

In an unrelated memorandum, the school renewed its membership in Harrisburg Area Community College’s TechLink Consortium for the 2025-26 school year. 

The consortium has three primary goals: 

1. Provide opportunities for administrative staff and teachers within the region to collaborate. 
2. Provide in-service opportunities to maintain and continue professional development. 
3. Coordinate data gathering in the region to use as a public relations tool.

The agreement also lists individual responsibilities for HACC, LCCTC, and the consortium. Membership costs the LCCTC $7,000 for this school year.

Both memorandums were passed unanimously by the LCCTC’s joint operating committee.

Principal’s resignation

The board also unanimously approved the resignation of principal Alexander DiMarzio, effective Oct. 3.

Board chair Ruth Ann Schlegel noted during the meeting that DiMarzio had accepted a new position with another school, thanked him for his service to the LCCTC, and wished him well in his next endeavor.

Other board actions

In other business, board members unanimously voted to: 

• Approve a 3.73% increase for non-union support staff salaries for the 2025-26 school year, effective retroactive to July 1.
• Approve the bills/transfers totaling $1,940,335.32. Included in this amount are Capital Reserve Fund checks for: Beers+Hoffman Architects, $1,468.75; Fidevia, $210; Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, $196.25; Korporate Computing, $44,155.60; Korporate Computing, $19,870.02; Valley Sewer Company, $15,000; Beers+Hoffman Architects, $1,375; Korporate Computing, $37,591.32; and Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, $1,477.95.
• Enter into a memorandum of understanding for reciprocal emergency shelter use during the 2025-26 school year and authorize the administrative director to execute the agreement.
• Permit four students and an adviser with a chaperone to attend the National FFA Convention, Indianapolis, Indiana, Oct. 28-31. The CTC will cover expenses for the adviser and chaperone, estimated to be $2,064.
• Grant the following staff development requests: Ryan Gerz, auto body technology instructor, Instructor Seminar for SEM and EHP Training, Glen Burnie, Maryland, retroactive to July 22-23, at an estimated cost of $272; Brian Peffley, pastry arts instructor, ACF secondary site visit, Frederick, Maryland, Sept. 10-11, no cost;  Kelly Flowers and Theresa Tobias, school counselors, PACTA Fall Workshop for CTE School Counselors, State College, Oct. 2-3, at an estimated cost of $1,070; Lisa Pison, instructional coach, PACTA Fall Leadership Conference for Instructional Coaches, State College, Oct. 2-3, at an estimated cost of $598; Josh Boettner, work-based learning coordinator, PCEA Conference Strategies for Success in Work-Based Learning, State College, Oct. 16-17, at an estimated cost of $874; and Charles Benton, administrative director, ACTE’s Career Tech Vision 2025 Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, Dec. 9-12, at an estimated cost of $4,600.
• Hire the following individuals: Kelly Bowman, accounts payable/purchasing coordinator, effective retroactive to July 7, at $23 per hour with benefits; Kelsie Hess, dental assistant instructor, effective 2025-26 school year, 189 days, with benefits, step 11/7; David Patches, maintenance technician, effective Aug. 25, at $31 per hour with benefits; and Sam Santiago, welding instructor, effective 2025-26 school year, 189 days, with benefits, step 6/12. All hires are pending receipt of required paperwork.
• Hire 22 substitute instructors for the 2025-26 academic year at $140 per day. In an unrelated action, Vickie Arnold and Tina Pitt were hired as substitute health room assistants for 2025-26 at the same rate.
• Approve the JOC June 17 meeting minutes.
• Amend and correct the minutes of May 20, which were approved on June 17, to rescind the termination of Joshua Miller and to accept his resignation, effective May 21.
• Accept cafeteria reports for June and July and to make a transfer to the cafeteria fund of $43,448.79, retroactive to June 30.
• Set salary schedule for the 2025-26 school year.

It was announced that an executive session was held prior to the meeting to discuss personnel matters.

The CTC’s board meets the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in room D 144 at the school.