PT School Board passes tentative $53 million budgets
The Peters Township School Board will vote June 24 on a final budget for the 2013-2014 school year.
A tentative budget of $53,338,189 passed unanimously May 20, and when asked if a tax increase was expected, Vincent Belczyk, district business manager, said the board will meet again before the end of June to discuss how best to have expenditures fit with revenues. He did not offer a prediction if a tax increase will be needed.
During the May 20 meeting, only the expenditure side of the tentative budget was announced.
The board also passed a tentative technology budget for $1,138,486, which does not include salaries and benefits. Those figures are in the general fund budget of $53,338,189. A capital projects budget was passed in the amount of $1,535,994. Money from the capital projects budget may only be used for construction or other related projects and may not be used for salaries or books.
Included in the capital projects budget is a projected $900,000 for replacement turf at the high school athletic fields. However, board members William Merrell and Sandra Gregg voted against the tentative capital projects budget, citing one set of recent tests on the existing turf that indicated the surface meets safety impact standards. Results of a second test have not been received.
Board member Lori Cuervo stressed that even though the potential budget contains the $900,000 for the turf replacement, the board must vote at a later date on the expenditure.
The board will meet again at 6:30 p.m. June 10 to discuss the final budget.