The Panther Valley School Board last night accepted a settlement with St. Luke’s Miners Memorial Hospital, Coaldale, which lays to rest a long dispute between the hospital and the school board over the tax status of the hospital.

The agreement calls for the district to received immediate funding of a little over $100,000 from the hospital, and will bring in an additional $12,000 to $13,000 a year through June 30, 2006.

In return, the school board agreed to withdraw its appeal of a court ruling that found the hospital to be a charitable institution, not subject to real estate taxes.