Milazzo

Milazzo

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WRIGHT TWP. — Barely five months after landing the job as business manager, Natasha Milazzo was appointed as acting superintendent by the Crestwood School Board at Thursday’s regular monthly meeting, effective immediately.

Milazzo’s salary was set at $125,000 — about $30,000 more than she got as business manager. She replaces Vito Quaglia, who was appointed in March but resigned to take a position in another district. The board formally accepted his resignation at the meeting, though he wasn’t present.

In a related move, the board gave long-time secretary and Assistant Business Manager Joann Black a $3,000 increase to serve as interim business manager until Jan. 31, 2023.

The board also approved an agreement to retain former superintendent Robert Mehalick as a consultant to the superintendent at $1,000 per month, with no benefits, for a minimum of four months. Mehalick left the district to take a position in the Hazleton Area School District. He was replaced by Quaglia.

Board President Barry Boone said the board will not do a search for a new superintendent, and that a special meeting will be held Monday to give the job to Milazzo. He said it was necessary to appoint an acting superintendent until then for two reasons: The state requires districts to have superintendents, and board policy requires all board members be notified about a proposed hiring at least five days before a vote on it.

Boone also said the board will conduct a search for a new business manager. In the interim Black will be helped by Thomas Benz, a Crestwood Graduate who retired after decades in finance, and Governmental Consulting Strategies, a firm set up by former Hazleton Area School District Business Manager Anthony Ryba and used by the district previously. The board voted to pay Benz $1 a year for 20 hours a week beginning Oct. 1, and voted to retain Governmental Consulting from Sept 1 until Feb. 28, 2023.

Boone said that even with Mehalick and the business consultants, the combination of moves is expected to save the district $150,000 in coming months, because Quaglia’s pay and benefits were considerably higher than Milazzo’s new salary, and there will be no full-time business manager for a while.

In other business, the board:

• Approved an agreement to have Center Stage do the stage rigging repairs at a cost of $53,994.

• Approved an agreement with Kelley Bros. for replacement of doors at both elementary schools at a cost of $88,480, to be paid with grant money.

• Approved an agreement with Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18 to provide English as Second Language services in the coming school year at $93 per hour.

• Approved an agreement with The Woods to provide services to a student at an annual cost of $138,220.

• Approved an agreement with Patricia Matz from Speech Innovations, LLC, to provide services at $60 per hour.

• Approved an agreement with United Way of Wyoming Valley supporting the agency’s Nurse’s Pantry initiative. United Way will provide a total of $1,000 to stock the pantries in the two elementary schools, $500 each.

• Approved an agreement with Julie Kosik as occupational therapist and in the special education program at $57 per hour.

• Accepted the resignation of food service worker Sandi Kline, and accepted the retirement of food service worker Joanne Brown.

• Approved the return from furlough of Sherry Rinehimer as part-time custodian, Michelle Cipriani as part-time food service worker, Christine Ruel as part-time para educators, and Pradip Humagai and Anita Orrson as para educators.

• Appointed David Webb, Kelly Belanchik, and Lisa Ragan as day-to-day substitutes at $150 per day.

• Appointed Kimberly Martini as social worker at an annual salary of $56,000.

• Appointed Thomas Kupetz as school police officer at $57,500 for 200 days. It is an Act 93, or non-union job.

Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish