Unit 40 Board Approves Tentative Budget

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Published on August 24 2015 9:14 pm
Last Updated on August 24 2015 9:14 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

It's tough to craft definitive numbers when there's still no budget in place in Springfield, but local school boards still have to get their budget process rolling.

The Effingham Unit 40 Board of Education approved a tentative budget for the coming fiscal year. The final document should be adopted at the September Board meeting.

The projected budget calls for about $1 million more in outgo than income. A big chunk of that is in the Education Fund, where it's projected that the District will have more than $600,000 less at the end of the coming year than at the end of the current fiscal year. There is less than $6.8 million in the Ed Fund now; it's projected the balance will slip to slightly more than $6.1 million at the end of the new budget year.

One reason for the drop is that General State Aid is expected to drop by $202,000, and State Aid is assigned to the Ed Fund.

As for other funds, Operations and Maintenance is expected to be up by a little more than $1.5 million, the Transportation Fund is projected to be about $175,000 less, and IMRF will be down by about $30,000.

Meanwhile, the District's all funds balance is up by more than 4% from last year, and the operating funds balance is up by the same percentage.

The Board approved a plan to purchase four school buses and lease three others. One of the four purchased buses will be for Special Education use. The move would leave the District with seven units to sell. The seven buses to be sold have been depreciated out so will not generate any reimbursement from the State. The buses are being turned over by the District on a five-year basis.

Board members approved the District crisis plan for the new school year. The plan outlines steps to be taken in the District in the event of various crises. Junior High Assistant Principal Kurt Roberts and High School Assistant Principal Cody Lewis led the effort to develop the plan. The Board also approved a new agreement with a firm that works to recalculate the amount of State Aid received by the District, with the firm getting a percentage of the recovered funds.

The Board approved payment of bills, except that Board member Jane Willenborg voted against a contribution to the HSHS St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital Foundation for the Foundation Golf Outing. Assistant Superintendent for Business Rem Woodruff said the contribution is in recognition of contributions made by the hospital to the school district.

Board members also heard that District enrollment stands at 2,600, five more than at this point last year. That includes 13 more Kindergarten students. At the high school level, there are 761 enrolled, 23 fewer than last year. There are 27 more seniors and eight more juniors than last year, but 16 fewer freshmen and 42 fewer sophomores than a year ago.

In personnel moves, the Board accepted resignations from bus driver Michelle Rieman, ELC cafeteria monitor Cindy Mietzner, Student Services Secretary Angela Byers, and EHS teacher and Senior Class sponsor Cheri Lux. The transfer of Paula Bullard as a cashier at the high school was also approved.

Those employed included South Side cafeteria monitors Ruth Eirhart and Kelly Shane, junior high cafeteria monitors Nancy Mathews and Beverly Lomax, ELC cafeteria monitor Brittany Will, midday route bus aide Diane Claar, and Student Services Secretary Leslie Hille.

Leaves of absence were approved for Jalana Robison, Kali Carroll, Ty Totten and Jennifer Hall. Those appointed were Ken Cornell as volunteer junior high baseball coach, Elizabeth Braunecker as volunteer high school boys and girls swim coach, Jim Conley and Patsy Conley as volunteer high school tennis coaches, and Ken Cornell as boys 7th grade basketball coach.