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WRIGHT TWP. &#8212; Crestwood School Board Solicitor Jack Dean said Thursday night that the district was prepared to adopt a balanced budget, thanks to some recently uncovered savings.&#8220;We&#8217;re hopeful also of making no program cuts or personnel cuts,&#8221; Dean said.Dean&#8217;s comments came at the outset of the meeting and were confirmed by board Chairman Eric Aideldinger.&#8220;We have been working around the clock, and with the cooperation of our (educational) staff, we are now hopeful &#8230; of balancing the budget,&#8221; he said.A vote on the 2016-17 budget will come at a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. on June 30.A report in May from Business Manager Albert Melone estimated the budget at $37,613,215 with a real estate tax increase of 4.43 percent and a deficit of $1.24 million.Aideldinger and Melone both said they are hopeful that the savings will eliminate the need for a tax increase.A major portion of the savings came through possible reductions in health care insurance costs, according to Aideldinger. School board member Bill Jones added that replacements will not be hired for personnel who retire.In other business:&#8226; The board acted unanimously to retain Joseph Rasmus as the assistant to the superintendent, succeeding Brian Waite who resigned in May. Rasmus, who formerly served as the intermediate school principal in the Northwest Area School District, was retained at a salary of $103,000 per year. His salary package includes a 20 percent contribution to health care coverage.&#8226;The board approved payments of $22,866 to Doli Construction for drainage and paving work and $68,348 to Fieldturf for the project at the football field.&#8226;The board approved a series of co-curricular hirings, including Darren Testa as head wrestling coach and Dr. Anthony Merlino as assistant band director.&#8226;The board approved a food services contract with Metz Culinary Group, accompanied by an increase in meal costs that range from 15 to 65 cents.&#8226;The board voted to accept the 2016-17 revised budget of the Wilkes-Barre Career and Technical Center.&#8226;The board also approved insurance contracts with Joyce Insurance of Pittston for liability, workers compensation, violent acts insurance, umbrella and cyber coverage as well as terrorism insurance. Premium rates increased from $241,644 to $252,599. Terrorism insurance costs $1,612.<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>Tom HuntingtonFor Times Leader</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews.</shirttailMeta></div>

Crestwood School Board expects to adopt a balanced budget