Monessen approves ’17-18 preliminary budget
MONESSEN – Monessen School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to introduce the preliminary budget for the 2017-18 school year, which includes a tax increase.
Business manager Jeff Festor said the district could increase the budget a maximum of 3.7 percent from this year using the state index, or to 75.08 mills from 72.41, but he will not be able to determine the actual increase until more definite numbers from the state budget and health care costs are received. If the district exceeds that amount, it must receive approval from voters in a referendum.
The preliminary budget of almost $17.2 million for 2017-18 has increased almost $2.3 million from the $14.9 million for 2016-17. Festor said this increase is due to rising pension contributions, salary increases, debt payment increases and projected increases in health care costs.
Festor said their projections for factors such as health care could be off by “a couple hundred thousand” because the district has not received final numbers. The budget is available for public inspection at the superintendent’s office. A vote to adopt the preliminary budget is expected at the Feb. 14 meeting.
Dr. Leanne Spazak, district superintendent, said the district’s first Targeting Excellence Academically Monessen, or TEAM, advisory committee meeting in December went well.
“It was a good start,” Spazak said. She said parents, administrators and community members were in attendance.
Spazak said the meeting was a great experience and she thinks the open communication is going to be beneficial moving forward. Spazak said the next meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 25 at the elementary center cafeteria.
The advisory committee was formed to provide parents and community members with a platform to get more involved with the school district and provide a way to discuss issues and come up with solutions together in a positive environment.
The board voted to renew the current transportation contract with Hill Top Bus Line for a five-year period.
Tiffany Jamieson, supervisor of psychological services, said the Kids of Steel running program will begin this week in gym classes. She said students will be getting information about the program to take home.