Gateway school board takes a pass on sponsoring student trip to Costa Rica
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Gateway School District will not be sponsoring a proposed student educational trip to Costa Rica next year.
Teacher Lynn Martin plans to take a group of students to Costa Rica in June. Last week, EF Educational Tours representative Shea O’Sullivan addressed the board to explain the difference between school-sponsored travel and non-school-sponsored trips.
Solicitor Bruce Dice voiced concerns regarding Gateway sponsoring the trip and possibly being viewed as being responsible for it.
The board showed its support for the travel program but voted unanimously against sponsoring it.
“Gateway is acknowledging the international travel program and will revisit it yearly but is not at the present time sponsoring … the travel,” Dice said.
If the trip had been sponsored by the school, Martin would have been allowed to use the district’s email for correspondence and could hold meetings in a school building. Without the sponsorship, families of interested students must meet off school property to discuss the trip.
Other business
• The board voted unanimously to approve a settlement with Allegheny Health Network’s Forbes Hospital regarding a medical building that does not meet the criteria for tax-exempt status. Pittsburgh-based legal firm Weiss Burkardt Kramer recommended that the district proceed with the settlement.
“Based on a millage rate of 22.857, the amount of back taxes owed for 2020-24 will be approximately $252,883.68. For the 2025 tax year, at a millage rate of 24.0684, the property will generate revenue of approximately $59,144.72. Gateway School District can expect to collect this new annual revenue stream in subsequent tax years,” according to an Oct. 17 letter from Weiss Burkardt Kramer.
• The board voted unanimously to approve a settlement with KDP Roosevelt 369 LLC for property at 3995 William Penn Highway, also as recommended by Weiss Burkardt Kramer.
When KDP Roosevelt 369 purchased the property in April 2021, it was undeveloped commercial land, but several new retail buildings were added to the site in 2023: Aldi, Key Bank, Taco Bell and a mutitenant building.
“Using a millage rate of 22.857, the amount of back taxes owed for the 2023-24 tax years will be approximately $34,989.50. Using a millage rate of 24.0684, the property will generate additional tax revenue of approximately $16,867.13 for 2025. It will continue to generate this new revenue in subsequent tax years,” according to an Oct. 22 letter from Weiss Burkardt Kramer.
• The board agreed to accept bids for University Park Elementary’s elevator project.
• The board approved the purchase of a Kubota tractor with broom and mowing deck at a cost of just over $44,000.