Reynolds school directors Wednesday filled two positions that have been the subject of much talk recently -- business manager and band director.

Board members voted unanimously, with Dr. George Reeher and Daniel McBride absent from the special meeting, to hire Mary M. Ammann, West Salem Township, as business manager at a salary of $51,000 a year. Her salary may be increased to $52,000 if she gets a satisfactory rating in January.

Mrs. Ammann replaces John Simon, who resigned in May around the same time the district announced a $2 million deficit in the 2002-03 school budget. The district has been operating without a business manager since then.

Mrs. Ammann, currently employed as an audit supervisor with the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General, Bureau of School Audits, will begin work at Reynolds in less than two weeks. Her duties with the Auditor General's office included supervising one to three audit crews while performing her own on-site audit.

Mrs. Ammann's background includes accounting, budgeting procedures, school investments, charter schools and school audits. She earned a bachelor's in business administration from Clarion University and attended graduate classes at Grove City College.

"She's exactly the kind of candidate we need," said Superintendent Dr. Anthony Trosan. "She knows statewide laws upside-down and sideways, she knows how to scrutinize a budget ... this is one more step in a good direction."

"I hope to make a big difference. I'm going to take my time and do what I can to put the school in the right direction," Mrs. Ammann said.

The board also hired Erica M. Eiser as marching band director at $1,750. Ms. Eiser, who is from Maryland, lives in the Greenville area.

Ms. Eiser takes over marching band duties from music teacher Michael Mazzocco, who was laid off last month as part of a 13-teacher furlough to make up for declining student enrollment and to help get the district out of debt.

Mazzocco's furlough went through despite pleas from band students and parents to keep the popular teacher.

School Director Jeff Colson, who abstained from the vote to hire Ms. Eiser because he is her employer at Rite Aid Pharmacy, described her as a "go-getter."

Trosan said Ms. Eiser, a former drum major, has already met with band seniors and selected marching band music for the band's half-time show. He said she wants to start band camp this week.

On Monday, at a band boosters meeting, band students were concerned that band camp had not yet started because they did not have a director.

"She seems to have the right set of qualities. She can really do something with the band long-term," Trosan said.