The Exeter School Board of Directors discussed the preliminary budget for the 2015-16 school year during their Tuesday, Jan. 20 regular meeting.
Business manager Anne C. Guydish explained the $71 million budget, which shows a $4 million increase from the 2014-15 school year.
The most significant cost increases making up the $4,076,000 addition of general fund expenditures are due to a $1.2 million contractual wage increase and new staff requests, $1.6 million toward retirement contribution increases and an eight percent increase on premium healthcare. Pension contributions by the district are set at a rate of 25.84 percent for the 2015-16 school year, a $7.81 million gross contribution.
“We’re going to need to find room in the budget to meet these mandated costs,” Guydish said.
Other items affecting the increase are the district’s one to one student to Chromebook initiative, replacement of telephone system and the scheduled debt service increase.
Current real estate property tax rate for the township is set at 31.25 mills.
An increase of a 2.5 percent tax rate would result in $69.01 million in revenue and an increase of 4.5 percent would result in $69.88 million of revenue, including exceptions.
Guydish is looking for the district to qualify to apply for exceptions for special education and the pension.
“We are discussing other possibilities,” Guydish said. “There’s been discussion of reconfiguring special education, administrative work.”
The 2015-16 preliminary budget is set to be adopted Feb. 17, the proposed final budget is set to be adopted on May 12 and the final budget, including setting millage is set for June 16.
The board also approved a bid from Brightbill Body Works for two of their 77 passenger school buses. The trade in value for the 1998 and 2001 buses is $17,000, with the net cost of the lowest bid at $167,350. The district considered bids from two other companies, going with Brightbill as the lowest.
The motion passed with a vote of 6-3, with board members Timothy Timura, Michael Jupina and Joseph Staub voting against the purchase.