The Upper Perkiomen School Board could save $128,000 by refinancing one of the bonds it utilized to build the Middle School on Montgomery Avenue in Upper Hanover. Last week, board President Melanie Cunningham announced that approval could occur in April.

            The Finance committee issued its recommendation to reduce its costs on the bond it acquired in 2019 that expires in 2042 by two percent, according to Cunningham. She said during the Jan. 22 workshop meeting that the members could grant its authorization to proceed next month.

            The district ended the previous school year with a total fund balance of $13.419 million. That includes a committed fund balance of $5,761 million, according to an attachment to the finance committee's Jan. 20 meeting agenda. Cunningham announced during the board meeting that the district has $8.4 million in its capital reserve account.

             A fund balance summary from the Finance committee identifies an assigned fund balance at $4.625 million. It leaves an unassigned fund balance at $2.759 million.

            The committee recommends the allocation of $5 million for future capital projects, $500,000 for Future Technology Capital Projects and 261,685 for future turf field replacement. Next month, the full board will consider a motion to approve the fund balances determined by the audit report.

            Currently, $261,685 has been assigned to the turf removal project. Approval of the proposed assignment would raise the total to $627,261.32, according to a Finance committee meeting agenda attachment.

            The board approved transfers to fund the turf replacement from 2017 to 2021 ranging between $149,554.86 and $13,597.33. A note at the bottom of the attachment states that possibly more funds that were transferred with the intent for those funds to be used for turf replacement by prior School Boards. It states that these are all the funds that can be identified by reviewing the accounting detail where all transfers are recorded in the Capital Reserve Fund and cross-referencing school board agenda minutes.

            An audit of the 2024-25 school year found a clean audit with no issues, according to Cunningham. She thanked the business offer after the auditor found control or significant deficiencies or material weaknesses.

            "I'm so excited," Cunningham citing this as the first clean audit during the eight during her time on the board.

           The members approved the purchase of a new salt spreader. They voted to pay Perkiomen Performance Inc., located at 108 Gravel Pike in Green Lane, $9,100 for the equipment. 

            In personnel news, the board voted to appoint one professional staff member. It approved Mikayla Fuentes to teach third grade at Marlborough Elementary.

            The members also approved the an eight-week leave for Alex Gruber, beginning on April 7. They also ratified 12-weeks of leave for Tonya Kulp.

             Tabitha Yandersits has been added to the list of Krise staff bus drivers for current school year. The board also approved Joanna Manieri and Petra Marx-Abend as homebound instructors.

            Member Trina Schaarschmidt did not attend the meeting that lasted 49 minutes. The board met in executive session immediately prior to the public portion to consider a tax assessment appeal and a confidential student matter, according to Solicitor Kyle Somers.