By Melanie Stegner

news@pctribune.com

Central Square Cultural and Civic Center in Glenwood is being transferred to the Minnewaska Area School District for ownership purposes. 

“No money is exchanging hands; we will just be the fiscal host for grants and other public money to come through,” stated Superintendent Chip Rankin. This makes the school the fiscal agent for Central Square and means the property is now school property. 

Conditions apply to the agreement and include the legislature appropriating at least $4 million for designing, constructing, renovating, equipping and furnishing capital improvements to Central Square, the commissioner of employment and economic development executing a grant agreement with the district with respect to the bond project and the district’s execution of a use agreement for Central Square.

The post-closing use agreement includes a 10-year term for use. It also makes Central Square responsible for their own repairs, maintenance and programming. According to the agreement if the governmental program under which the district enters into is terminated or is changed in such a manner that the district may no longer own or operate the property for the governmental program, the agreement will automatically and immediately terminate.

Prior to the Minnewaska Area School Board meeting, the truth in taxation meeting was held. The school levy is determined by a state-set formula enacted by the legislature as well as a voter-approved amount. 

The amount of money the school will receive in 2024 is a 3 percent increase over last year due to the change in valuation of properties in the district. $3,032,604.71 is set to go to the general fund, $151,171.43 will go toward the community services fund and $1,370,917.58 is held in the general debt service fund. 

Updates were presented from Jeremy Armstrong, Building and Grounds Director and Mark Meyer, Information Technology Director. Both thanked their staff for helping things run smoothly within their departments. 

A resolution establishing a combined polling place at the Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber and Welcome Center was passed. 

The AFSCME Council 675 Master Agreement contract between MAS and paraprofessionals that work within the school district was approved and will remain valid for two years. The final draft of the contract included wording that will allow the district to properly compensate new employees based on their experience in the position.

Three calls for bids were approved at the meeting for the project at W.I.N. Academy for work to be completed regarding the construction renovation for the Lakes Area Enrichment Center (a child care project). 

The next meeting of the school board will be held on January 22 in the district meeting room.