Moon Teachers, School District to Resume Negotiations

Moon Area Education Association and Moon Area School Board confirm a bargaining session is planned for today.

Representatives from the Moon Area School District and its teachers union will meet for contract negotiations this afternoon, marking the first time the parties have come together since the board rejected an arbitrator's proposed contract in January.  Union spokesman Butch Santicola said negotiations will resume today at the Moon Area School District, but said he was unable to comment further. Board President Mark Scappe also confirmed that the district and union will meet today. Teachers and the district have been involved in a contract dispute that has spanned more than a year and resulted in a 13-day teacher strike in November. In December, the two parties agreed to take part in non-binding arbitration. Last month, teachers approved a …

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Township Supervisors Pass 'Tight' Budget for New Year

Public programs get slight increase in funding

Moon Township Manager Jeanne Crease said the process behind creating the 2011 budget was not an easy one.  With a sluggish economy and lagging tax revenue, she said Moon Township faced the same dilemma as many communities across the country: whether to raise taxes or cut services.  "We were able to meet the challenges of this economy," Crease said after the passage of the 2011 budget. The police budget will be nearly $5.4 million, a .9 percent increase from 2010. The budget includes $40,000 in vehicle maintenance and $2.7 million in salaries.  "We did not have to cut programs," she said. "But it is a very tight budget." The township's general operating budget stands at $11.3 million.  Some township programs -- including highway …