S.C. Real Estate Taxes Going Up 3 Percent

There was no discussion by the Spring Cove School Board at the June 24 meeting prior to it passing the 2019-20 general fund budget in the amount of $27.988 million by a 6-0 margin.

This is a three-percent tax increase over last year’s budget. The three percent increase was the amount agreed upon by the board at the Committee of the Whole meeting on June 17 after a lengthy discussion. The school district still faces a substantial budget deficit.

This represents a final real estate tax of 11.03 mills on the assessed value of all real property taxable for school purposes in the Spring Cove School District and a per-capita tax of $5 levied under section 679 of the school code, and a per-capita tax of $5 levied under Act 511.

A one-percent earned income tax will be levied under Act 32 to be shared with the district and municipalities. There is a flat-rate occupational tax of $10 and a local services tax of $10 for Freedom and Huston townships and $5 for Martinsburg Borough, North Woodbury and Taylor townships and Roaring Spring Borough.

The board voted unanimously to approve Paul Frederick to fill the position of the boys’ varsity head basketball coaching position at Central High School with a salary of $5,633. Frederick, a seventh-grade social studies teacher, will replace long-time coach Reggie Nevins, the winningest high school basketball coach in Blair County history.

When Superintendent Dr. Betsy Baker and board President Brian Gahagan were asked if Nevins reapplied for the position after it had been opened up, they replied that it was a personnel issue that they could not discuss.

Garrett Miller was approved as varsity assistant baseball coach for the 2019-20 spring season at a salary of $2,618.

The purchase of new textbooks for six subjects for the 2019-20 school year at a cost of $59,066 was approved unanimously.

Reagan Bush of Central High School was recently welcomed by Congressman John Joyce to the U.S. Capitol for winning the 2019 Congressional Art Competition. Reagan’s winning art work depicted the Tower of Voices at the Flight 93 Memorial in chalk pastels. Reagan’s work will be displayed in an exhibit in the U.S. Capitol with winners from each congressional district across the country. Bush described it as a happy and humbling experience.

Dr. Baker also recognized the “tremendous support” from the community which the school district received this year in direct donations totaling more than $109,619 to support local school programs.

The next regular school board meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, July 15, at the administration office’s board room.