RIDGWAY — The Ridgway Area School Board voted on Tuesday to limit the potential for a tax increase to the state’s index rate.

Each year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education presents the school district with an indexed rate, which represents the largest tax increase that the district could impose and follow the standard timeline to create and approve a budget.

If the district would have rejected the index rate, they would have been allowed to raise taxes above the state’s rate but would also have to complete the budget in a shortened time period.

On Tuesday, the board approved a resolution to limit the potential for a tax increase to 3.6 percent.

This means the district will not be able to raise taxes above 3.6 percent for the 2017-18 school year without the approval of taxpayers.

Accepting this resolution does not indicate whether the district will raise taxes or not that decision will be made in early 2017 as the district begins its budget process.

The motion to accept the state’s index rate was approved 8 to 0; school board member Kristie Bennardi was absent and did not make a vote.

In other financial matters, the board accepted a $3,500 donation from the Doug and Charlotte Dobson Fund through the Elk County Community Foundation.

The board did not immediately indicate what the grant money will be used for.

In other matters, Business Manager Donna Sidelinger gave the board an update on the safety of the district’s volleyball nets.

During the board’s regular October meeting, Janet Redmond, the Ridgway Elkers girls’ volleyball head coach, expressed concern over the volleyball net system the district had purchased. She said the system broke and became a safety hazard for the girls as they practiced.

Redmond said one of the poles broke and could have seriously injured one of the girls if it had hit them on the way down.

The board’s safety committee reviewed the situation and is currently waiting for information from the equipment’s manufacturer.

On Tuesday, Sidelinger said she has been in contact with the net’s supplier.

She said the supplier came and viewed the equipment and sent measurements, pictures and other information to the manufacturer.

As of Tuesday, the supplier and the district are still waiting to receive feedback from the manufacturer before moving forward with any steps.