School Board Hires Top Official’s Son

Jul. 1–YATESVILLE — The Pittston Area School Board hired Superintendent Frank Serino’s son Thursday as maintenance director after Serino pitched filling the job now in response to a board member’s opposition.

This is Serino’s second child to be hired in the district in the past three years.

The board also kept taxes at the same rate and named Assistant Superintendent Ross Scarantino to replace Serino when he retires in August.

Serino read a motion for the board to hire his son, Jimmy Serino, for the maintenance director’s job.

“I will protest on this,” said board member Terry Best. “I don’t think this position should be filled at this time.” Best suggested waiting to see if a director is really needed with the current employees.

Best previously opposed filling the post with any of the six applicants due to cost and specifically opposed hiring Serino’s son because of nepotism.

Frank Serino said just before his son was hired that he wanted to state his position on the job itself. He said the district’s administrative costs are $600,000 less than the average in Pennsylvania because the district has consolidated, such as by having two supervisors for five buildings.

Serino said the district’s buildings are worth $85 million and there is an obligation to protect the investment. He called the maintenance director’s job a necessity. “There is no wait and see, in my opinion,” he said.

The board Thursday voted 7-1 to hire Serino’s son, with Best opposing it. President Bill Balchune, Martin Quinn, James “Red” O’Brien, Mark Singer, August Piazza, Tony Rostock and Tom Curry voted in favor. Clem Lello was absent.

Serino’s daughter, Heather, was appointed as a full-time math teacher in 2002.

Balchune said afterward that Jimmy Serino will be paid in the upper $40,000 range plus benefits. He replaces Clarence Maisano, who is retiring.

Other previous relative hirings have included Lello’s son, who was previously hired as a teacher, another son appointed as a security guard and a daughter-in-law hired as a secretary. Singer’s wife was hired as a teacher in 1999.

School board nominees Joe Oliveri, John Adonizio, Kent Bratlee and Bob Linskey attended the meeting.

“I do not agree that the retiring superintendent’s son should be hired,” Linskey said afterward.

Before the board named Scarantino as superintendent with a five-year contract, Best opposed the contract’s length. He said new board members will take office in December and would consider the issue then.

Rostock said Scarantino has been with the district for 38 years and deserved a five-year contract. Scarantino was chosen by a unanimous vote and said afterward that he and Serino worked as a team and the transition will be seamless. He will be paid approximately $106,000 a year.

Balchune said afterward that the board did not advertise or conduct a search for a new superintendent. He said the board was comfortable hiring Scarantino due to his experience and did not feel it necessary to conduct a search. Balchune said doing so would have wasted time.

“I think Pittston Area should have done a search for a superintendent,” Linskey said.

The board unanimously approved a $32.5 million budget for 2005-2006 that keeps taxes at 255 mills. A mill is $1 tax on every $1,000 of assessed property value. Business consultant Albert Melone said the final budget included $89,000 more in vocational school costs but $105,000 in additional revenue than the tentative budget. He expects a fund balance of $742,790 by the end of the school year.

Serino said former teacher and football coach Steve Armillay on Thursday repaid the district the $14,524 he received in salary and benefits while on sabbatical. Armillay had to reimburse the district because he did not return to teach. Serino said Armillay, who resigned in February, never said he wouldn’t repay the money.

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