Next year's school budget introduced

The annual process of funding schools has begun in Sisters. 

A budget meeting was held on May 6, where the first draft of a budget was presented, followed by a school board meeting where the board began a discussion on whether to ask taxpayers for about $1.1 million in "local option" money (see story page 1).

In her budget message, Superintendent Elaine Drakulich told the budget committee that she used this year's actual enrollment as a basis for next year's projected enrollment. This takes into account a decrease in students that is offset by the addition of students in new charter schools, for which the district receives a partial reimbursement form the state.

Overall, the proposed budget increases by about $682,018, from $12,451,261 to $13,133,279.

Of this proposed increase, salaries grow from $6,273,206 to $6,432,069, or $158,863. Employee benefits increase $372,998, from $3,091,243 to $3,464,241. 

Business Manager Sandy Tartaglia said that much of this increase in benefits can be attributed to increases in insurance costs, which climbed six percent and are approaching $1,000 per month per employee, and an increase in set-asides for the Public Employee Retirement System.

Purchased services increase by about $892,113, from $1,073,757 to $1,965,870. According to Tartaglia, much of this increase reflects payments that will be made through the school district to new local charter schools. While the total amount transferred appears in the budget, the school district actually keeps from the "pass through" about 20 percent of the money for administration.

Other items in the proposed budget decrease. Dollars requested for supplies and materials decrease $119,560; debt service declines $131,734; transfers, from one asset account out of the general fund into another, decline $219,861; the contingency drops by $204,366 to $65,000 for next year; and the ending fund balance goes to zero from $65,000.

Board member Christine Jones expressed some concern about the amount of the contingency, saying that it is much below the percentage recommended by the state school boards association.

Drakulich told the budget committee that at this point, it appears that the dollars "per student" in support from the state will increase by about $300 to $6,400. She cautioned that this amount may well change over time.

The budget will be discussed by the budget committee over the next few weeks. A second budget committee meeting and possible approval by the committee and board is set for Tuesday, May 20. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, with the final form distributed to various funding agencies on July 15.