Kutztown School District’s Superintendent expressed concerns about the poverty levels in Kutztown Borough during the Kutztown School Board meeting on Dec. 12.
Superintendent Katherine Metrick gave a brief presentation about the changing levels of poverty in and around the Borough of Kutztown.
According to the numbers Metrick provided, in 2012 the Borough had a poverty rate of 20 to 39.9 percent, one of the highest in all of Berks County. In addition to that, Maxatawny Township’s poverty rate increased from when the study first began in 1990. The Township has a 10 to 19.9 percent poverty rate according to the study.
The poverty rate, although possibility affected by the population of Kutztown University students, plays an important role in determining the level of state funding Kutztown receives.
“If they went to full state funding, we would lose local control,” Metrick said.
Essentially, full state funding would negatively affect the amount of flexibility Kutztown School District has in how they want to spend their money. Instead, it would be up to the state’s discretion.
In other news, Kutztown Strong received a major boost that has the potential to turn the movement into a long-term pillar in the community.
At the meeting, Metrick announced that Kutztown Strong was awarded a $25,000 grant. The grant will go in large part towards hiring a mobilizer to keep the initiative moving forward towards sustainability.
“We have a lot of momentum and passion right now,” Metrick said. “This person would be focused on moving this forward and keeping us going forward for years to come.”
The initiative began back in April when concerned members of the community came together to create a better developmental experience for Kutztown’s youth. According to the group’s website (www.kutztownstrong.com), Kutztown Strong’s mission is to “help prevent and treat substance abuse in our community and provide a fun and safe environment for our young people in which to thrive.”
The grant will allow the movement to hire one person to fill the position. Metrick went on to say that the length of the position will be for around nine months and is a perfect fit for graduate or recently graduated students with a background in social work.
The mobilizer will be responsible for networking and interacting with all participating organizations, increasing student involvement and perhaps most importantly, setting up the movement for long-term success.
As Metrick said, the mobilizer must be able to contribute to making Kutztown Strong a “dynamic force moving forward.”
The board suggested advertising the position on the district’s website, since there is a quick turnaround in order to meet the grant’s requirements. The position must be filled by January 1, 2015.
Also at the meeting, the board unanimously approved an agreement with AEM Architects, who will be responsible for conducting the high school renovations. Business Administrator/Board Treasurer David Miller informed the board that after some back-and-forth between the sides, they were able to draft an agreement that suited everyone involved.
The board also approved a motion to approve and publish minutes at both their regular monthly board meeting and their workshop meeting, meaning minutes will be published twice a month. Previously minutes could only be approved at the regular monthly board meeting. The decision was made after some back-and-forth in which the board balanced the importance of keeping the public informed versus the risk of publishing unapproved information after each meeting on the district’s website.
Board Vice-President Randy Burch first made a motion to approve the minutes at both the regular and workshop meetings each month. His motion was amended by board member James Shrawder, who stated that minutes should be published as pending on the district’s website after every board meeting. His amendment, although seconded by Al Darion, was voted down by a vote of five to three. Burch’s original motion was then unanimously approved.
“I don’t think we should be putting unapproved information out there,” Burch said in regards to the board’s final stance.
The board’s next meeting will take place on Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Middle School.
