Jan 18, 2016 By Terry Kish 2 min read

After receiving approximately $4.7 million in emergency state funding on Jan. 5, Upper St. Clair School District’s 2015-2016 budget is just about on target – for now.

While presenting a budget update at the Jan. 11 Committee of the Whole meeting of the USC School Board, finance director Frosina Cordisco reviewed recent funding received from the state, which was close to the district’s projections.

As for future state support, Cordisco said that at this point in time, they wouldn’t know how much money the district will get until it was received.

USC superintendent Dr. Patrick O’Toole told the board that there is a lot of conflicting information and disinformation, which he said makes trying to plan for next year’s budget “very aggravating.”

During the Jan. 11 meeting, the board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution which gives 10 days notice of the Jan. 25 meeting where Upper St. Clair’s school board will vote on a proposed preliminary 2016-2017 general fund budget. The proposed budge is available for review on the district’s website.

The January vote on the preliminary budget is non-binding, but is necessary in order to meet in the state Department of Education deadline in accordance with Act 1, in order to give the district the flexibility to raise taxes above the Act 1 index.

Speaking to the board during public comments portion of the meeting was USC resident Michael Smith of Forest Brook Drive, who had concerns about the air quality at the high school swimming pool. Smith said his 13-year-old daughter and several other swimmers are having respiratory issues that coincide with the swim season.

Smith, who was there with two other parents whose children are also having breathing problems related to the pool, requested that testing be done to try to determine the problem and implement corrections.

In addition to being used by students at the high school, the 60-year-old pool is home to the Upper St. Clair Swim Club.

Following the meeting, Dr. O’Toole said that the pool’s air treatment equipment was replaced a few years ago, and repairs were made to the ventilation system. In addition, there is on-going maintenance on the pool’s ventilation system.