Article 1: Operating Budget of $32,236,730 versus Default Budget of $32,117,244

What it means: The proposed operating budget (excluding appropriations in any other warrant articles) is actually below the FY 2024-2025 budget by almost a million dollars (-$957,258), or down by 2.88%.  The savings occurred as follows:

• Bond Expiration – The principal and interest payment for the 20-year bond for the school building project has been fully paid.
• Personnel Reduction – Proposed reduction of 1.0 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) teacher position (anticipated retirement).
• Personnel Reduction – Proposed reduction of 1.0 FTE assoc. principal position (currently unfilled).
• General reductions – Prioritized departmental requests on all discretionary accounts to reduce costs.

The proposed Operating budget is +$119,386 higher than the Default budget of $32,117,244, or .37% (less than one-half of one percent) over the Default.  (Note, the Default budget has the bond payments removed automatically.)

Those in favor say: The Board and staff worked hard to keep expenses reasonable for taxpayers. There were increases in many budget areas due to the cost of salary adjustments for union and non-union staff; health insurance premiums; and cost escalation for supplies, vocational programs (higher participation and increase in outside tuition rates), special education expenses due to higher transportation.