CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors approved its tentative 2013-14 general fund budget without any property tax increase at Monday night’s combined committee and board meeting. The board will vote to finalize its upcoming-year budget on June 24.
The budget proposes spending in the amount of $34,909,254 and revenues of $32,360,829. The budget’s spending and revenues have increased by 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively, over last year, according to Business Administrator Sam Maney, who anticipates a $2.5 million deficit for the upcoming-year.
According to him, the budget’s anticipated deficit is mostly due to increases in the district’s salaries and benefits. In 2013-14, he said its salary-related costs have increased by $500,000, or 3.7 percent. However, he’s already built in a proposed autistic support position and two extra teachers in case the need arises later.
Maney said the district anticipates paying out approximately $15 million in salaries and $8 million in benefits in the upcoming-year. He also anticipates a 4 percent increase in its health insurance costs over last year. Maney said the district currently employs 180 teachers with total staff being 250 people, which increases to 400 people with the inclusion of part-time staff.
He said the district’s contribution to the Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) is anticipated to increase to 16.93 percent in 2013-14, which is $730,000 more than last year. The district anticipates paying out a total PSERS contribution of $2.5 million.
Despite the gloomy picture for the upcoming-year, Maney couldn’t justify the district raising property taxes, while it’s still working with positive numbers. He said it ended last year with a general fund surplus of $327,000 and a fund balance of $7 million.
In addition, Maney anticipates the district will end the current-year with a general fund surplus of $1.1 million to bring its fund balance to $8.2 million for 2012-13. He had originally anticipated a $1.8 million deficit for the current-year. Of the $8.2 million fund balance, Maney said the majority of it will be restricted for debt service if it cannot be generated during the school year and committed for future PSERS increases.
Maney also said the general capital projects fund amounted to $738,803, while the ClearfieldHigh School and ClearfieldElementary School building projects were in the amount of $23,084,155 and $9,200,000, respectively.
During the upcoming-year, Maney said although the district plans to close the ClearfieldMiddle School, he’s budgeting to address roofing ($60,000) and parking lot ($11,000) repairs. Under maintenance he said the district’s box van has put on a lot of mileage and needs to be replaced ($35,000).
So far as athletics, Maney is budgeting the following: Bison Stadium Bleacher Project ($533,309); Swimming lane markers and storage reel ($7,200); Volleyball – standards, poles, net, ref chair ($2,500); Track hurdle carts ($2,800); and portable white fencing ($1,500).
Maney said the high school band needs rain gear and new uniforms. He told the board the band’s current uniforms are more than a decade old. However, he’s worked with the band department to spread these costs out over three years. In the upcoming-year, Maney said the band’s biggest need is for rain gear and its uniforms will be replaced over the course of 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Maney said the cafeteria budget is $1,497,697 and doesn’t include any general fund contribution for the upcoming-year. He said that lunch prices will increase by 10 cents for elementary and high school students; however, there will not be any increase in lunch prices at the middle school. Maney said lunch prices will be $2.20 for elementary and middle school students and $2.30 for high school students.
He said breakfast prices will increase by 10 cents for elementary and high school students and by 5 cents for middle school students. He said breakfast prices will be $1.30 for elementary and middle school students and $1.35 for high school students.
Maney said the district is raising these prices solely to comply with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that states that schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program are providing the same level of support for lunches served to students who are not eligible for free or reduced lunches, as they are for lunches serve to students eligible for free lunches.