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Thursday, March 20, 2003 Page: 6A
WILKES-BARRE
W-B Area approves
new busing contract
The Wilkes-Barre Area School Board on Wednesday night unanimously approved
a five-year contract with Williams Bus Line Co. for school bus transportation.
The contract goes into effect for the 2003-2004 school year and will pay
the company $9,350 per day. District business manager Ralph Scoda said the
current contract pays Williams $8,550 per day.
The new agreement contains a fuel clause not contained in the current
contract. The Wilkes-Barre bus company will receive additional funding based
on increased diesel fuel costs.
In other business:
The Lancaster law firm of Kegel, Kelin, Almy & Grimm was hired to
represent the district during the Bear Creek Community Charter School appeal.
The firm’s fee letter explains that $140 to $225 per hour attorney fees are a
starting point, but that discounts and premiums may be applied.
The board earlier this month voted down the application to open a charter
school in the now-closed Bear Creek Elementary School. The charter group plans
to appeal the decision to the state Department of Education.
The board approved $77,068 in property tax refunds based on successful
assessment appeals in Luzerne County Court. The district will refund $5,107 to
the City of Wilkes-Barre Industrial Development Authority, in care of DelBalso
Brothers, for property located at 395 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre, and will
refund $71,961 to Rite Aid of Pennsylvania for properties on Public Square and
South Main Street.
Christine Katsock of the Wilkes-Barre Taxpayers Association questioned the
board about food service figures contained in district audits from 2000
through 2002. She said there appeared to be $903,000 loss, according to the
June, 2002 audit. Scoda told her that was an incorrect amount and she could
visit his office during business hours to review the numbers.
The board approved member John Corcoran’s suggestion to allow a Plains
Township group to erect the former Plains Memorial Stadium memorial that had
been removed for construction of the Solomon-Plains Memorial School. The
memorial honored those killed in war.
– Bonnie Adams