School board doesn't pass budget, citing ELANCO snub - but extends agreement

The Columbia School Board unanimously declined to pass a 2017-18 budget Thursday night, citing uncertainty over the shared services agreement with ELANCO. However, the board passed an amended motion for an extension until September 30, 2017. The current agreement was scheduled to expire June 30.  Much of the proposed budget assumes continuing the agreement, which includes services from ELANCO’s superintendent, business manager, and technology personnel. So far, ELANCO's board president has been unresponsive, according to several Columbia board directors.

In considering passage of the amendment for an extension, directors noted ELANCO's lack of engagement and that an extension might not solve the problem if ELANCO does not approve the agreement.

Vice-president Charles Leader said the budget is based on having the agreement. "As of right now, we don't have the agreement," he said.

ELANCO Superintendent Robert Hollister said the ELANCO board is comfortable with the extension proposed in the evening's agenda, which takes the agreement until September 30. "The Eastern Lancaster County Board has had the information and is still mulling it over," Hollister said. "My assumption is they have been waiting until the end of the year to review that."

Board director Rachael Kedney expressed frustration about ELANCO's lack of response, however. "We've done our part, but there's been no engagement," she said. "We're trying to do as a board what's responsible for Columbia Borough, and I'm very disappointed that we're not receiving anything from ELANCO. It concerns me that we're not able to have everything we need to approve a budget because of a lack of conversation."

Director Vickie Anspach also noted the problems with passing a budget. "It is difficult to make this decision especially with ELANCO's board not giving us a final decision yet."

Board president Keith Combs concurred with board directors. "We've not heard anything back although we've done our due diligence," Combs said. He suggested pushing the envelope and having Columbia board members meet with ELANCO's board president and solicitor before Columbia's committee of the whole meeting in August. Combs said he would like an answer before the end of three-month extension.

Board director Barry Ford cited concerns with allowing the agreement to die. "If this agreement expires, we're going to have to look for a superintendent, a business manager, technology people - and we can't afford that," he said. Ford said the September 30 extension would allow more time for negotiations.

But board director Kathy Hohenadel said continuing with extensions might not accomplish the goal. "We risk getting into that dangerous 'let it flow, let it flow, let it flow,'" she said. Hohenadel also said Columbia's efforts to give better direction to this partnership have gone unanswered by ELANCO. "Quite honestly, the president of the ELANCO board has been unresponsive," she said. "How do we know if we let it go to September 30 that we're going to any point in time get even a return phone call to our board president from the ELANCO board president? When do we say we need the courtesy of an answer from the board?"

Hollister noted that the ELANCO board will meet Monday, June 19 - the last opportunity to extend the deadline until next month's meeting.

Combs urged passing the extension: "I don't want to see this thing run out in two weeks, and Columbia Borough is left scrambling looking for multiple positions to fill before the next school year."

Ford cautioned about the dangers of losing the agreement altogether. "If we don't have this agreement, we can put the 'for sale' sign on the door," he said.

After discussion, the board passed an amended motion for an extension, with the stipulation that subsequent extensions not be allowed. All directors present voted for the motion - except Leader, who voted no. Directors Cole Knighton and Jenna Geesey were absent.