McDonald schools to get funds for walks

By Mary R. Smith

The school board also hired a director for the pep band.

McDONALD — Village councilman Rich Harvey told the McDonald school board Monday the village will receive a $225,000 in Safe Routes to Schools grant to install sidewalks along the east side of McDonald Avenue from Marshall Road to Second Street.

The village has been awarded the grant under the Safe Routes program, which is federal money that is filtered down from the state through the Ohio Department of Transportation.

In other business at its meeting Monday, the school board re-appointed Thomas Radabaugh as treasurer and extended his contract for four years. Radabaugh’s current contract was to expire Dec. 31. His salary is $63,028. Due to a change in Ohio law, schools treasurer’s contracts must be changed to start in August. Radabaugh’s new contract will start Aug. 1 and continue through July 31, 2013, at his current rate. He began as treasurer in the district in February 1991.

The board also approved entering into a cooperative agreement contract with the Trumbull County Educational Service Center and Healthcare Billing Services, Inc. to assure that the district will receive federal matching Medicaid funds for Medicaid allowable services by licensed practitioners to Medicaid eligible students living in the district.

The contract was agreed upon at no cost to the board. The covered services are for special-needs students, and their eligibility for Medicaid depends on their income level or family circumstance. The district usually receives less than $10,000 annually in reimbursement for these services, such as physical therapy, Radabugh said, but the new contract should aid in the district receiving better reimbursement levels for Medicaid covered services.

In other business, Marilyn Prodnick was hired as pep band director at $922 a year for the 2009-10 school year.