The CCTI Joint Operating Committee last week presented financial audits and made budget preparations for the next academic year.

Business Administrator Jeffry P. Deutsch requested acceptance of three audit reports — the audit report for the Carbon Career & Technical Institute, the audit report for the Carbon County Area Vocational-Technical School Authority, and the audit report for the Carbon County Area Vocational-Technical School Foundation (each for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018).

Deutsch said no negative findings were noted in any of the audits.

Administrative Director David Reinbold said a person would “have to go back over 10 years” to find an audit report with a finding.

Deutsch said the proposed budget for the next fiscal year will be presented for committee approval at the December meeting.

Deutsch said expenditures were increased by 2.4 percent, but there would be no increase requested of sending districts.

Reinbold said the committee has requested no increase from the sending districts for the past five years.

Reinbold attributes this to flat costs for health care and equipment and the retirement of some senior members of the CCTI staff.

CCTI Student Forum

Philip Strubinger, student forum adviser, detailed recent activities.

The Student Forum is part of the curriculum and instruction activities of the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 and provides an opportunity for students to “discuss current issues of concern to high school students, hone their leadership skills, investigate careers, provide community service, and share this information with their peers.”

The Student Forum at CCTI consists of three senior and two junior students. Each month the students attend a meeting at one of the host schools. On alternating months, the focus of the meeting is either career readiness or community service.

The November meeting held at a local nursing home was a blending of the two.

First, students were met by the facility’s administrator. They were introduced to members of the care team and told about the education and training needed for each of those positions.

The second part of the visit focused on community service. Students assisted in the laundry, raked leaves and participated in activities with the residents. The experience was so meaningful that the students of the member schools collected various gift items for the residents. Three full boxes of gift items were delivered to the facility to be distributed to the residents for the holidays.