News

March 9, 2010

Dallas schools change Net service provider

District votes for Frontier Communications for wireless Internet despite contract.

By Sarah Hite shite@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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DALLAS TWP. – The Dallas School Board voted Monday evening to remove its Internet tower and use a new Internet service provider even though it is locked into a contract.

Board members decided to begin using Frontier Communications for wireless Internet despite 15 months remaining in a contract with the Luzerne Intermediate Unit.

Bill Gartrell, the district’s technology director, said the district is currently using LIU for Internet service. It is also leasing a Conterra internet tower from LIU.

The tower needs to be moved because it is located behind the old maintenance building, which is scheduled to be torn down starting March 29. The new maintenance building is complete and has been turned over to the district.

According to Gartrell, it would cost the district $27,500 to move the tower to a location near the new maintenance building.

Gartrell said the district is paying the LIU $1,891.86 per month. The district has a contract with the LIU to provide services through Verizon. The contract does not expire until June 30, 2011.

The district will now pay $1,045 per month for wireless Internet from Frontier Communications. No tower will be needed.

If the district cancels the contract with the LIU as it plans, there could be a termination fee for the remaining 15 months of the contract.

In addition, the district could face a possible cost of $21,500 to remove the existing Internet tower as planned.

Superintendent Frank Galicki said the district is consulting its solicitor, Benjamin Jones, regarding the matter.

In another matter, the board passed a resolution advocating immediate action by the state General Assembly to enact legislation regarding public school district employee pension program reform.

Board Vice President Russ Bigus said board member Richard Coslett initiated the idea for the resolution. Bigus said several other school boards in the state have passed similar resolutions.

The Dallas School District and the state jointly contribute annually from public funds to the school employee pension program a fixed percentage rate of the eligible school employee’s salary.

The district employer’s rate of contribution for the 2009-2010 school year is 4.78 percent. On July 1, the rate will jump to 8.22 percent for the 2010-11 school year.

According to the resolution, the school district employer’s rate of contribution is expected to increase significantly in the next four years to a projected 33.6 percent in the 2014-15 school year.

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