By JUDY DOLGOS-KRAMER

jkramer@tnonline.comOn Monday night only five of the nine Jim Thorpe school board members were in attendance for the monthly meeting. President Dennis McGinley and members William Allison, Pearl Downs-Sheckler and Michael Principe were all absent.But the members present had a number of items that concerned them.Gerald Strubinger and Glenn Confer raised issues related to bill paying.Strubinger questioned $26,000 spent for tablets and chargers. Confer questioned some additional line items."I want to have my say, and I won't take a lot of your time," said Confer. "But don't get me wrong. Under the Public School Law of 1949 the school board makes the decisions on spending. From now on, there is no conference, meeting, anything that doesn't come to us first for approval. We are the ones who hire you, you spend money on a conference without our approval, and we are the ones who can fire you.""We are not looking to deny requests," Strubinger said. "But come to the table to get the approval."After the meeting Strubinger clarified the reason for the board's concerns."We have a healthy fund balance and everyone is jumping on it and looking at it like it is a wish list. Things are being bought without approval. We don't want to say no, but we want to know the where and the why."Strubinger also expressed his concerns during the meeting regarding the minutes."I would like to know why the minutes are so minimal," said Strubinger. "I remember more discussion in previous minutes."Board Secretary Lauren Kovac responded that the auditors had critiqued the style of the minutes and had requested that the minutes reflect motions, seconds, votes and relevant discussions.Previous minutes that reflected all discussions and comments were not necessary, Kovac said."I have noticed that over time a lot of what we have discussed is not in the minutes," said Walter Schulz."At least put in here what was discussed. I have gone back looking for information I know was discussed at meetings and it's not there and I know that we had the discussion."Lack of respectVice president Robert Schaninger addressed the board, the supervisor and the teachers and administrators present about respect."I truly believe that just the people on this board appreciate the people on this board," Schaninger said."We are here to do a job. If you want to say something to me please come to my face. Don't call me on the phone and carry on."Someone even approached my wife, she won't say who, she is not like that, but we are not appreciated.""Well I want to make it clear that I appreciate everyone in this room," said board member John Ciavarella."By that I mean the board as well as the teachers. Everyone is doing a good job."Schaninger added that he too appreciated the job the teachers and administrators were doing.