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Uniontown Area School Board passed a tentative 2008-09 budget Monday with a 0.83-mill tax increase.

Directors voted 8-0 for the $41.52 million budget, which includes the maximum increase allowed under state law without a voter referendum. Director Lloyd Williams did not attend Monday's meeting.

If the final version is passed, the millage will increase from 13.02 to 13.85 mills. At the new rate, property owners would pay $138.50 per $10,000 of assessed property value, an increase of $8.30 per $10,000. Each mill will yield $834,000 for the district.

The budget is $1.5 million more than this year's, largely because of contractual increases, increases in fuel and utility costs and increases "across the board in every sector," said Director William Rittenhouse, head of accounts and finance.

Rittenhouse said there will be at least one advertised budget workshop before the final version is passed. He said he hopes to cut about $1 million from the budget. Some of the reductions will be in the form of expenses incorrectly entered twice on line items, while others will be savings.

"There will be no program cuts or cuts of current staff," he said.

Some savings will be realized by not hiring an administrator included in the budget for $75,000 per year. Rittenhouse said the administrator's duties had not been defined.

Additionally, another employee in the technology department will not be added, at a $36,000 savings. The technology equipment budget will be reduced from $30,000 to $15,000, among other anticipated cuts.

Rittenhouse said the district's bond counsel, John McShane, said several years ago the district would have to raise taxes 2.9 mills to cover the $38 million in bonds for the high school renovation project, which has not yet begun.

"That increase to keep up with our indebtedness has not been done. We need to keep the educational programs," he said.

In other business, directors:

= Approved paying Braddock Painting of West Brownsville $11,700 to paint the three center sections on the home side of the stadium.

= Accepted the following retirements: teachers Sophia Berdar, Robert Caldwell, Eleanor Curry, Angela Mollis and Doris Scott; librarians Joan Steratore and Helen Snaith; and school nurse Johnetta Hogan.

= Voted to accept the proposal from VLN Partners for a district-operated cyber school beginning with the 2008-09 term. The cost will be $25,600 and graduates will receive Uniontown Area diplomas.

= Held action for the second month on a bill from Fairchance Construction for work performed from July to September 2007. The bill is for 76.5 hours of work at $75 per hour, including five hours of attending school board meetings. Solicitor Michael Brungo said the bills were tied to work relating to the high school renovation project the board stopped in December. Rittenhouse said Fairchance had performed the services.

"If we don't pay it, the litigation will cost more than the bill," he said.

Other items from the meeting:

= Student and adult breakfasts and lunches will cost 5 cents more during the 2008-09 school year.

= Graduation will take place at 7 p.m. June 4 in the stadium. In case of rain, the ceremony will take place in the gymnasium.

The next regular voting meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. June 19 in Room 123 of the high school.

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