CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School District has approximately $45,000 in unpaid student meal debt that it would like to recoup.
Business Administrator Sam Maney, along with Food Services Director Jeff Kavelak, has drafted a letter to be sent to parents or guardians with delinquent accounts.
The drafted letter was reviewed by the Clearfield school board during a special meeting Monday night.
Letters will indicate the total amount due and request parents or guardians to either pay in full or to contact the district to set up a payment plan.
Parents or guardians will have until Aug. 31 to respond, Maney said, adding that he hoped to have the letters in the mail around July 15.
He said this will give people about 45 days to pay their debts or to set up their monthly payment plans.
Maney said he had also contacted J.P. Harris Associates LLC, and the firm was interested in helping the district recoup its unpaid student meal debt.
He said the firm had developed a contract agreement, which he sent to the district’s solicitor for review and approval before it is officially enacted.
Once approved, Maney said the collections firm will begin contacting any parent or guardian who fails to respond to the district’s letter by the deadline.
Maney indicated that dates given in the letter may need to be adjusted depending upon how quickly the solicitor gives his approval.
Parents or guardians whose accounts are sent to the collections firm will also be responsible for fees to be added to their total unpaid student meal debt. Maney said the fee schedule will be enclosed with the district’s letter.
For past due amounts between $1 to $100, the fee is $20; for $101 to $200, the fee is $26; for $201 to $300, the fee is $30; for $301 to $400, the fee is $36; and for over $400, the fee is $42.
Maney said the collections firm’s success varies depending on the area. However, its representative told him the firm will collect a lot more than the district has to date.
Board member Tim Morgan said the district should work with those people who are making a “good faith” effort. Those who fail to, he said, should be turned over to collections.
Maney indicated that he, along with other district officials, intends to treat people as fairly as possible throughout the process.
In other business, the board approved the lowest bid for the Clearfield Area Junior-Senior High School driveway re-paving project.
The lowest qualified bidder was Glenn O. Hawbaker Inc. with a total bid of $237,402.50. The district only received two bids for the project.
The board also approved the following capital projects:
- re-finishing gymnasium flooring (CAE), $21,900;
- parking lot sealing and striping (CAE), $17,738;
- front parking lot drainage (CAE), $6,300;
- playgrounds (CAE), $7,500;
- shot put area (CAJSHS), $2,695; and
- exterior door replacement (CAE), $45,830.