TheBurg

10 | theburgnews.com | 05.18 scHool Finances "Bleak" e Harrisburg School District's finances are "more bleak" than anticipated, said the president of the Harrisburg school board. Board President Judd Pittman offered that assessment last month following a presentation by Chief Financial Officer James Snell, who told the board that the district is facing serious financial challenges. Budget projections prepared by consultants at Philadelphia- based Public Financial Management (PFM) anticipate that rising expenditures and flat revenues will generate years of consecutive deficits and ultimately draw down the district's $21.6 million fund balance. PFM consultant Marissa Litman told the board that the fund balance could be depleted in as few as three years, even if the board levies the highest allowable tax hikes. Expenditure projections anticipate no salary increase for HEA-represented employees, but they do expect that bargaining will move some teachers up a salary step based on a grievance settlement. Social security and pension payments will increase along with those salary expenditures, and the projections also call for $3 million for facility enhancements. e expenditure projections assume that the district will continue its debt service payments and will not borrow any more money. Litman reminded the board that projections are based on assumptions that are subject to change. Nonetheless, she advised the board to correct its spending to avoid drawing down its fund balance. "is has been projected for a number of years, and now we have to deal with it," Litman said. e district was able to add to its fund balance as recently as the 2014-15 fiscal year. But the district ran a $3.7 million deficit in 2015-16, followed by a deficit of roughly half a million in 2016-17. e current 2017-18 budget anticipates another $6 million deficit. glass Recycling Re-staRts Glass is trash no more. at was the message of Mayor Eric Papenfuse last month, as he announced the return of glass recycling to Harrisburg. "We are pleased to be able to provide a way for our residents to recycle glass jars and bottles," Papenfuse said. "is is just another way we're trying to implement environmentally friendly programs that will make us a green and progressive city." ree years ago, Harrisburg suspended glass recycling, citing its high cost and difficulty. At the same time, it began to accept paper products for recycling, which previously had not been allowed. While glass recycling will re-start, it will not be picked up with other recyclables during weekly curbside collection. Instead, the city has identified areas in the following places where glass can be dropped off: • Shipoke • Hall Manor • Kline Plaza • Fire Station Two • Fire Station One • Fire Station Eight • Broad Street Market • Uptown Shopping Plaza • Harrisburg Department of Public Works • William Howard Day Homes Each location will provide a clearly marked dumpster or bin for recycled glass products, Papenfuse said. Specific glass products, including jars and bottles without lids or tops, will be accepted. Other glass products such a mirrors, windows and drinking glasses, will not be accepted. Papenfuse said that glass recycling has re-started because the new program will keep glass out of the waste stream of other recycled products. A major challenge for glass recycling has been that broken glass is difficult and expensive to separate and handle when intermingled with other recycled waste. e city has contracted with Mount Pleasant, Pa.-based CAP Glass, a glass recycler, to collect and recycle the glass. Papenfuse said that, since he's been mayor, recycling in the city has increased three-fold, and he stressed the importance of glass recycling to keep down the city's cost of burning solid waste at the incinerator. "Not only are we concerned about the environment," he said. "We're also concerned about taxpayer dollars." so noteD Barley Snyder last month announced that it has formed a "Senior Living Industry Group" to address legal issues facing the growing senior living industry. e law firm has offices throughout central PA, including in Harrisburg. Devan Drabik began last month as the new director of marketing and communications for ExploreHBG, Visit Hershey & Harrisburg's tourism branding program for Harrisburg. Drabik last served as director of business development for the city of Harrisburg Gary Lenker was named last month to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. Appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf, Lenker is executive director of Tri-County Housing Development Corp. S&T Bank last month announced two personnel moves. Melissa Doss was named mortgage banker to serve the Harrisburg and East Shore markets. In her new role, she will originate mortgage loans and foster relationships with new borrowers in that region. Katie Rittel was promoted to mortgage banker, responsible for originating mortgage loans and growing the bank's existing loan portfolio in the Camp Hill and West Shore markets. Shores Veterinary Emergency Care Center cut the ribbon last month on its facility at 835 Sir omas Court, Harrisburg. e 9,600-square-foot hospital features two surgical suites, eight treatment rooms and a dedicated trauma entrance, in addition to a 40-seat conference room. eBurg last month announced that it received 16 2018 Keystone Professional Awards from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. eBurg received peer-judged press awards in a wide range of categories, including for reporting, writing, headlines, graphics, photography and design. For the third straight year, eBurg also won the prestigious "Sweepstakes" award for best performance statewide in its category. Traditions Mortgage last month held a grand opening for its new location at 3421 Market St., Camp Hill. A division of York Traditions Bank, the mortgage company lends in York, Dauphin and Cumberland counties. Hacc tuition Rises HACC students will have to pay a bit more for the next academic year, as the college plans to raise tuition and fees to close a budget gap. e Harrisburg-based regional community college announced last month that its board of trustees passed a $142 million budget with an average 2.9-percent tuition hike. "HACC faces enrollment challenges similar to other colleges and universities across the commonwealth and throughout the country," HACC President John J. "Ski" Sygielski said. Sygielski said that HACC faced a $1.7 million shortfall for the 2018-19 academic year. e higher tuition and fees will yield an extra $2.4 million, he said. HACC's tuition will increase by $6 per credit hour for sponsoring, non-sponsoring and out-of-state tuition rates. For an in-state resident who lives in one of the 22 sponsoring school districts, tuition will increase from $174.25 to $180.25 per credit hour (3.4 percent increase). For non-sponsored, in- state residents, tuition will go from $211 to $217 per credit hour (2.8 percent increase). Out-of-state residents will pay $262 per credit hour, up from $256 (2.3 percent increase). ere also will be a $25-per-credit-hour increase in tuition rates for "College in the High School" and dual enrollment programs, and a $1-per-credit-hour increase in technology fees for students.

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