South Fayette board passes preliminary budget
South Fayette school directors passed a $45,837,020 preliminary 2014-15 budget at a Feb. 18 meeting. As it stands now, the budget reflects a $2.6 million shortfall, with revenues at $43,198,680. The preliminary budget reflects a change from the proposed preliminary budget passed last month, which had expenses of $46.1 million.
The preliminary budget increases revenue by the index of 2.7, which is 0.6672 mills or $772,756, and the referendum exception for PSERS (Public School Employee Retirement System) of 0.2793 mills, or $323,488. The total the district can increase millage for 2014-15 is 0.9465.
The value of a collected mill is currently $1,093,374, with the district’s current millage rate of 24.7126.
District director of finance Brian Tony stressed that the approval of the preliminary budget does not mean that the millage will be increased by the entire 0.9465 mills.
“We will continue to work to get expenses down,” Tony said.
Donna Harshman, the district’s director of transportation, presented the department’s 2014-15 budget at the Feb. 18 meeting. She is requesting two 84-passenger buses, as well as a lift van and a regular van.
The budget also includes deferred payments on four buses that were purchased this year.
Harshman said the vans the department is currently using have high miles and one has broken down this year.
Additionally, Harshman said that there is an increase in the budget of $87,000 due to increased routes that are served by contracted carriers.
Dr. Nanci Sullivan presented the budget requests for the department of pupil personnel. The department’s request increased by $358,886 over last year’s budget. Sullivan said the increases are due to nine new budget line-item codes for students who are placed in special needs schools and/or programs.
“All are mandates for the most part,” Sullivan said.
The technology budget presented by Gene Manzini at the meeting included equipment repairs and maintenance, as well as 30 new laptops for the intermediate school and laptops for staff members.