The South Butler County School District is looking for a new school board member to fill the seat of Dale Fennell, who is resigning effective May 12.

Fennell said after the Wednesday night board meeting that he is resigning due to personal health issues.

“It was enjoyable, but with everything going on, it's time to step away,” Fennell said.

He was elected two years ago and his term will expire at the end of 2023.

The board had a discussion on how to solicit those interested in being appointed to fill Fennell's term.

Donna Eakin, board president, said the vacancy should be announced on the website and by word of mouth.

Other board members said the vacancy should be advertised in the Butler Eagle.

Eakin said the board will decide at next Wednesday's meeting how to solicit potential appointees for the seat, and that she would check with Tom Breth, district solicitor, on the requirements for filling the unexpired seat.

The board has 30 days to fill Fennell's seat on the school board.

The school board also announced it will vote next Wednesday on a preliminary 2022-23 budget.

The preliminary budget expenditures total $38.3 million, which is up from the $36.9 million current budget.

The budget does not include a tax increase.

Also at the meeting, the board announced it will vote next week to spend more than $600,000 in expenditures for various projects ad purchases, including:

$218,850 for new bleachers in the high school gymnasium, which will be paid from the district's bond funds for the secondary school upgrade project.

$145,000 for an upgrade to the lighting in the high school auditorium, which will be paid from the capital improvements fund.

$68,500 for to repair the compressor on one of two chillers in the district's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, which will be paid from the districts capital improvements fund.

The board also will vote to install a French drain at the intermediate elementary school for almost $7,000 and upgrade lighting there for $9,660, scope the district's underground sewer lines in preparation for the upgrade project for no more than $15,000, demolish the current high school gym bleachers for $8,000, upgrade the fire panel at the intermediate elementary school for almost $9,000, and purchase personal computers at a amount not to exceed $130,000.

David Foley, superintendent, said those projects will be paid from the district's general fund.

The board also will vote next Wednesday on changing the names of the intermediate elementary and primary schools from “South Butler” to “Knoch” as part of the district's planned name change.

Also at the meeting, Foley decried television commercials that inform parents that sending their child to a cyber or charter school is “free.”

Foley said the district pays third-party cyber and charter schools for students who attend.

This year, South Butler has paid $1.5 million out to cyber and charter schools for district students attending them.

More important than the expenditure, Foley said, is the absence of students who attend cyber and charter schools in district classrooms.

“There is no better education for kids in this school district than to be in the classrooms collaborating with our teachers,” Foley said.

He said families interested in sending their children to cyber schools should seriously consider using South Butler's own cyber school, Knoch Cyber Academy.