Meeting recap
Date: Jan. 18
Action: The school board voted unanimously to approve a preliminary 2016-17 budget of $19.3 million and to set millage at 133 mills, a 5-mill increase, which would have a property owner with a home valued at $100,000 paying $500 more annually.
Dr. James Walsh, superintendent, said the numbers represent hypothetical worst-case scenarios in which a full state budget isn’t passed this year, and that the district has to indicate its moving toward increases beyond the Act 1 index because of state reporting requirements. Walsh said more realistic numbers would be figured out by the end of the school year. He also said the major drivers of any potential millage increase are a 5 percent increase in pension costs and up to 7 percent increases in health-care costs.
Walsh said the Legislature’s passage of a piecemeal budget with partial school funding will allow the school to operate through February.
Board President Tom Repole encouraged members to go to state Rep. Jason Ortitay’s town hall meeting at Knucklehad’s Pizza in Midway Saturday to discuss passing a complete state budget.
The board also voted to accept a $20,000 grant from Washington County Community Foundation to use toward the district’s STEAM program for advanced “maker-space” learning activities.
Next meeting: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at the elementary school library.