Interboro taxpayers, get ready for a bigger bill
PROSPECT PARK » The Interboro School Board could not find unanimity Wednesday night when appointing a new member and adopting a final budget.
A 5-3 vote of the board OK’d Christine Alonso to fill a vacancy left by Kevin McGarvey to represent Glenolden, Region 3, through December 2019. Alonso received affirmative votes from board President William Phelps, Vice President Justin Shivone and members Ed Harris, Kelly Joseph and Jennifer Varricchio.
Alonso is a U.S. Army veteran who received her bachelor’s degree in history from Widener University. She’s a mother of four whose children attend, are have graduated from, Interboro schools. Alonso took the oath of office surrounded by her family as she was sworn in by Magisterial Judge Jack Lippart.
Directors Jack Evans, Bridget Bernaur and Glenn Goldsborough voted in favor of candidate Donna Franz. No one voted for a third perspective candidate in Chas Willis. The three board candidates were interviewed by the board on June 18 where they were each asked the same 11 questions.
Alonso is the third vacancy the school board has had to fill this year. Michael Burns resigned after winning the magisterial district judge race for Glenolden and Norwood in the 2017 municipal elections, and Kelly Boyle from Norwood resigned in March and McGarvey resigned last month. Unlike the process to replace Burns and Boyle, finding McGarvey’s replacement had than one candidate in the running to fill the vacancy.
With one-third of the board turning over in six months, Phelps said that he’s “confident we will maintain a full board moving forward.”
In other meeting business the board passed a $67.8 million 2018-19 budget with a tax increase.
The board voted 6-3 to adopt the budget which will increase taxes 2.95 percent, increasing the millage rate to 37.1008. Salaries, benefits and special education costs are the largest cost drivers in the budget. No staffing or program cuts were included in the budget.
The Glenolden block of directors did not vote for the budget. Directors Ed Harris and Jennifer Varricchio voted no while the newly appointed Alonso abstained.