Ephrata school board president Robert Miller had a lengthy response Monday night to a letter to the editor appearing in a local paper which was critical of the board and superintendent.

Prior to starting the regular business portion of the district's final 2007-08 board meeting, Miller took 18 minutes to read the board's response to the letter written by Brian Hoffman of Ephrata, which appeared in the June 4 edition of the Ephrata Review.

In his letter, Hoffman — who was in Monday's audience and had the chance to speak — said the student population of the Ephrata Area School District had decreased from 4,079 to 3,987 during the last six years. He also wrote that under the leadership of superintendent Gerald Rosati, based on projections from the state, the district would have a student population of 3,825 students by 2017.

He wrote that during this period of student decline, the district budget increased 28 percent from $40.8 million to $56.9 million.

Hoffman wrote that during Rosati's tenure, taxpayers have seen dropout rates and homeschool enrollments increase, the board fund a $70,000 public relations position and rehire assistant superintendent Kenneth Porter on a per-diem basis after he retired.

He also criticized Rosati for moving his own residence and children out of Ephrata to Lititz and the Warwick School District.

"Personally, these things are troubling," Hoffman wrote. "They haven't been for past board members."

Miller began his rebuttal to the letter by standing by the fiduciary actions of the board and superintendent.

Miller said that according to the peak enrollment formula the district must use — not the average enrollment figures Hoffman used for his calculations — student numbers actually have increased under Rosati. Also, according to the Pennsylvania Economic League, a non-partisan public policy organization, district enrollment is expected to increase by 327 students, or 10 percent, over the next 10 years.

"(This) would equate to 15 additional classrooms and teachers," Miller said.

Miller then addressed the allegations of the district having a high dropout rate.

"Through the efforts of (former superintendent) Dr. (Alan K.) Lindquist and then-assistant superintendent Gerald Rosati, Washington Educational Center was created," said Miller.

He said the district now has one of the lowest dropout rates among Lancaster County schools.

Moving into the budget situation, Miller said the board is very concerned about the impact rising taxes have on the community.

He said there are a few simple factors that have caused the district budget to increase over the past several years, all of which are outside its control.

He said the signing of a 2001 law by former Gov. Tom Ridge that increased pension benefits of public servants by 25 percent resulted in an increase of the district's contributions by $1.4 million, or 566 percent.

Miller said certain medical benefits have increased by double-digit figures and have cost the district about $2 million over the past six years — a 176 percent increase.

He also said special-education costs have increased $800,000, or 16.3 percent over the past five years; heating and cooling costs increased $512,000, or 10.6 percent; and diesel fuel would increase $107,000 next year.

"Our district transports more than 3,500 public, nonpublic and special-education students over 721,000 miles annually," Miller said.

Miller also said both current and previous boards have committed to plans replacing aging and deteriorating roofs and mechanical systems to ensure the existence of "an environment conductive to learning."

Miller said the district has worked diligently to keep spending within its control, but the state now controls a district's maximum tax rate.

But Miller's harshest criticism was reserved for the editorial staff of the Ephrata Review for publishing the part of Hoffman's letter related to Rosati's personal residence.

"The letter also addressed that Dr. Rosati relocated his family from Ephrata to Lititz," Miller said. "This is the most troubling aspect of this letter to the editor. The printing of this personal information … is inappropriate and should have been removed by the Ephrata Review.

"Dr. Rosati has the full faith and confidence of our board of directors, who see how he thinks and understand his motives," he said.

Hoffman, who was present at the meeting, said was surprised by Miller's statement and proceeded to ask him a series of questions during the public comments period.

Hoffman asked Miller if his letter stated its original figures and Rosati's resident status correctly. Miller responded in the affirmative.

"So I'm a little taken aback when I hear you say inaccuracies in my letter," Hoffman said. "I don't think there were any inaccuracies in my letter."

Hoffman questioned the district's commitment to saving money, particularly when he drives by the school and sees parking lot and exterior building lights lit during daylight hours.

He also criticized the district for the purchase of rapid communications equipment designed to inform district residents en masse via telephone or e-mail.

However, Dorothy Love, of 455 S. State St., Ephrata, praised the board for making a statement against Hoffman's letter.

"I just want to thank you for that explanation," Love said. "As a regular attendee of these meetings, I read that letter to the editor and was very upset."