Photo by Jessica N. Rex Tim Hagberg addressed the WCSD board about the stipulation on the school building uses.

The Warren County School District isn’t going to rescind a stipulation that the Youngsville High School building not be used for educational purposes.

Tim Hagberg requested the board take such action during its most recent meeting.

“I am going to request that the school board rescind the policy and vote on that policy,” Hagberg said.

Hagberg said whenever money is asked by taxpayers, it is always packaged as being “for the students” and wanted to know specifically how it benefits students, communities and the taxpayers.

Superintendent Gary Weber pointed out that the policy preventing former school buildings from being used for educational purposes has been written in the sales agreements.

“There was a time when they were trying to open a charter school and the cost to the district was astronomical,” Weber said. “It was going to be detrimental to not only the district but to the taxpayers for that reason. So, it’s because of the cost of education in that regard. So they (solicitors) started putting it in the sales agreement.”

Weber offered to put something out in writing and that the board has the authority to determine whether or not that is written into the sales agreement.

In other news, initial conversations have begun with students, teachers and the administration for an addition of a greenhouse to be built at the Eisenhower School. First, Elizabeth Kent, supervisor for secondary education, is working with Weber on the development of agricultural coursework. As the different stages progress, more information will be brought back into the meetings over the next few years. The plan is to offer 2 courses for the 2026-2027 school year. There are talks of incorporating NPRC (Northern Pennsylvania Regional College) programming. The district’s Virtual Academy is adding four agriculture electives, and Kent and Weber will continue to develop the coursework prior to the building of the greenhouse. It is in the best interest for the district to go through an engineer in order for the construction to be done to be program specific and meet all ADA regulations. Since the paving contract came in much lower than expected, approximately $270,000 less, within the capital improvement budget, Weber asked for it to be included on the 7 year plan, in order to start the greenhouse and be ready to use it after the coursework development is finished. Weber said that with the ability to sell the grown products from the greenhouse, it will create a self-supported program.

Additional financial news included more discussion of the seven year plan. Buildings and grounds, having some of the estimated largest expenses, including the upgrades for the pumphouse for the Warren campus which provides water for 3 buildings; at a cost of $250,000. In addition, aging air handlers replacement at the Youngsville Elementary Middle School Building will cost $350,000, and the greenhouse addition will be an estimated $262,000.

Financial reports given by Michael Kiehl, district business services director, shared that they are on pace with budget, mentioning that additional cost savings have come from the closing of schools and from moving the buildings and grounds department from Sugar Grove to a more central location. Due to this, they may be proposing to move $350,000 to a capital fund to be used for replacement work on the Sheffield Elementary School if needed before the proposed date. By 2040, the district could be debt-free.

Board member Bridget Schwab asked if the proposed tax rate was submitted to the state Education Department. Kiehl said the board voted and approved it as it will not go above the act 1 index. A member of the public asked if the school board has come up with a new millage rate for school taxes. Kiehl said they have worked with the county to calculate the new millage rate which will be approved when the board approves the budget.

Weber said they have been working with the county to adjust it based on the reassessment.

“It’s going to drop significantly,” Kiehl said. “It’s going to be a single digit number.”

A vote was taken to keep the 2026-27 school year calendar approved as it was at the last meeting. Many factors have to be considered when making it, from how the dates fall for holidays, along with the addition of having Veteran’s Day off, to sports schedules, county fair dates, and more.