Board Reviews District Spending, Discusses Future

The district is going to need new money soon, but this November may not be the best time to put a levy on the ballot, members of the Board of Education said during . 

The members heard a presentation on the district's operating revenue and expenditures for fiscal year 2011, which ended on June 30, during Monday’s meeting and took a look at how the new state budget will impact the district going forward. 

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District spent about $1.3 million more than it brought in last year, said Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer Karen E. Obratil. The district’s ending cash balance—minus any money already set aside for purchase orders—was about $10.4 million. 

The majority of the spending went to salaries and benefits, which Obratil said was to be expected, since a school district is a "a people-orientated organization."

A new five-year financial forecast will be presented to the board this fall, Obratil said.

She then briefly discussed how the new state budget would impact the district. Obratil said she expects the school foundation funding will be the same as fiscal year 2011 at close to $5 million, but the district will lose money from reductions and eliminations of certain tax reimbursements. The money from the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund--part of the federal economic stimulus program--has also run out. 

Although state money is being cut, Board President George J. Balasko said the state budget that passed was the least damaging to districts of the proposals they had seen. He said that while there are a lot of reasons why the district will need more money in the future, the possibility of having a referendum on  on the November ballot is a good reason to wait. Members Kathleen Mack and Alan Scheufler agreed, saying that the district should wait to put a new levy on the ballot until after that is resolved. 

Scheufler also said that residents should not expect services that have been cut within the district to be restored.