The youngest member of the Pottsville Area school board announced Wednesday he won't be seeking re-election when his first term ends next year.
"I think everything I wanted to accomplish in four years, I did. The board works very well together. We are great colleagues and I don't think you should be anywhere longer when you get the job done that you wanted to accomplish," Scott Thomas said at the end of Wednesday night's school board meeting.
Thomas said he's considering running for another public office in the 2013 General Election but didn't say what.
"I'm still undecided," Thomas said.
A 2008 graduate of Pottsville Area High School, Thomas, 22, was elected to serve a four-year term on the school board in the November 2009 General Election.
In other matters Wednesday night, the board reorganized and unanimously reappointed John F. Boran as board president and Scott D. Krater as vice president. The year 2013 will be their fourth consecutive year in those seats, according to Thomas, who said he keeps track of such things.
Richard A. Thornburg, who has been serving as the board's solicitor for 25 years, was reappointed as solicitor for his 26th year, with a salary of $1,250 per month, which is the same as last year.
At the start of the meeting, the board went into a 52-minute executive session. According to Thornburg, it was for personnel matters and labor negotiations.
Krater, who heads up the negotiations committee, said the discussions related to a future teachers contract.
In January 2011, the school board unanimously approved a two-year contract with its 204 teachers, with salary increases of 3 percent per year.
That contract ends June 30, 2013, Krater said.
Also at Wednesday night's meeting, the school board took the following actions:
- Appointed Dr. Robert Boran as athletic team doctor for the 2012-13 school year with a retainer of $3,300.
- Appointed Joseph Eckley as assistant girls basketball coach for the 2012-13 school year at a salary of $1,500.
- Appointed Serenity Allen as junior varsity assistant girls basketball coach for the 2012-13 school year at a salary of $1,500.
- Accepted the resignation of Scott Mattea as junior varsity head girls basketball coach.
- Hired Robert Gwin as a full-time custodian at the high school with a salary of $19,000 a year starting Nov. 19.
- Hired Mark Gauntlett as a full-time custodian at the middle school at a salary of $19,000 a year starting Nov. 19.
- Hired William Horning as a full-time school district electrician at a salary of $47,840 per year.
- Adjusted the school calendar, making Jan. 21 and April 3 regular school days due to the inclement weather of Superstorm Sandy.
- Announced the board will continue to hold its monthly work sessions at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month and its regular meetings at 7:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month.
