School board gets preview of new budget

USD 234 Business Manager Tiffany Forester answers a question about the 2011-12 budget during a special board meeting Thursday morning. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

Although nothing has been set in stone yet, USD 234 could raise its mill levy slightly -- by .225, or about $2.50 -- to maintain the same budget authority it had last year.

However, according to preliminary figures, its general fund will be reduced from $11,826,076 in 2010-11 to $11,241,342 for 2011-12, Business Manager Tiffany Forester said.

The school board met early Thursday to review the figures before they are taken to Topeka Friday to be looked at by Dale Dennis, deputy commissioner fiscal and administrative services for the Kansas State Department of Education.

Forester said Dennis will review the budget, as he does for every district in Kansas. If everything is in order, she said, a notice of public hearing will be placed in the newspaper. Budgets have to be to the state by Aug. 26.

The total mill levy last year was 42.743, Forester said. If approved, the .225 increase would give the district the same budget authority it had last year in its local option budget.

The local option budget allows districts to raise money locally for enhancing their educational programs.

Budget authority is the total expenditures the district can have in the local option budget. "If we exceed that budget authority, we have to republish, which is a lengthy process," Forester said.

Forester said the district still is not "for sure" what it will publish.

The budget for the coming year is down due to reductions in base state aid per pupil and declining enrollment. Districts use one of three options in the budget process -- this year's enrollment numbers, last year's enrollment numbers, or an average of three years. USD 234 is losing its high average from 2008, Forester said.

Actual headcount as of the end of the 2010-11 school year was 1,923.

After Dennis' review, the district publishes a notice of hearing for the 2011-12 budget, then has a budget hearing in August.

Thursday's meeting also included a 20-minute executive session after which no action was taken. The closed session was conducted to discuss matters relating to employer-employee negotiations whether or not in consultation with the representative or representatives of the body or agency, a news release said.

A special meeting will be held at 7 a.m. July 21 for the same purpose at the USD 234 boardroom, 424 S. Main St.