CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School District will “essentially” end the 2009-10 fiscal year with an approximately $2 million surplus, according to Business Administrator Sam Maney, who gave several reasons why at a combined committee and board meeting Monday night.
Maney said the district projected a deficit of $413,896, when the budget was approved on June 22, 2009. In its final budget, the fund balance was to total $2.9 million. However, it came out ahead at $450,000 on July 1 of last year, he said.
He said local tax revenues were $709,000 higher than expected. While its state revenues registered lower by $1.3 million, he reported that they were nearly offset by federal revenues, which were up by $1.1 million.
Maney said the district budgeted for $32.4 in total revenue sources but actually saw approximately $33 million come in. He said it resulted in a higher than expected revenue in the amount of $582,476.
In addition, Maney said the district reduced its expenditures, crediting an estimated savings of $241,000 in operations and maintenance, $200,000 in health insurance and $167,000 in vocational education programs.
The district had some administrators retire this year, and their positions were filled at salaries lower than what was budgeted, he said. He mentioned there was a position, which was not filled, included in the budget.
He said they anticipated $32.8 million in total expenditures last year but only $32.2 million was actually spent by the district, which resulted in $666,625 to the positive.
Under the final budget, Maney said there was $2.5 million projected for the fund balance on June 30. However, he said it turned into $4.2 million. He said there was a savings of $835,000 for a positive of $1.2 million.
Maney commended Food Services Director Jeff Kavelak, as the cafeteria fund saw a $154,629 surplus. He said that it was uncommon for any school to turn a profit.
He pointed out that the district saw deficits in the cafeteria fund from 2000 to 2004. He said that Kavelak was hired by the district on Aug. 11, 2003. Since 2005, he said the cafeteria fund has ended in a surplus.
Kavelak said that he couldn’t take all the credit. Instead, he deferred it to the members of his staff, which he described as “a lot of good people” who have worked to control costs.