Salem Community High School’s budget for FY25, approved at Monday night’s board meeting, shows an overall surplus of $157,436 across the four operating funds. Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering says he’s happy with the budget and believes that in the final amended budget all four funds will show a surplus.
“We’re pleased with the budget and think we’ll be able to erase those deficits,” Detering said. “We estimate revenues low, and expenditures high, and then we try to reverse that to get it back the other way.”
The education fund shows a deficit of $15,684, operations and maintenance a deficit of $12,918, transportation a surplus of $26,038, and working cash a surplus of $160,000. Estimated fund balances are $6,238,292 for education, $1,632,961 for operations and maintenance, $568,389 for transportation, and $1,965,459 for working cash, for a total fund balance of $10,405,101. The budget also shows a $729,000 deficit for the capital projects fund, reflecting payment for current projects using revenue accumulated in previous years.
The FY24 audit report was also presented at the meeting. The report showed no major issues, but the audit resulted in the district financial profile dropping from Recognition to Review status due to the district having a deficit across all four operating funds last year. Detering says that with the district’s spending strategy this year, he expects a quick return to Recognition status.
In action items, the board approved a three-year contract with Affordable Gas and Electric for electric aggregation with Homefield Energy as the supplier at a rate of 8.443 cents per kilowatt-hour. This is a decrease from the current rate of 11 cents per kilowatt-hour. The new contract takes effect after the current one ends in March of 2025 and is expected to reduce the district’s electric supply expenses by more than $35,000 per year.
The board approved the employment of Maggie Telford as paraprofessional, Dusk Donoho as assistant fall play director, Andrew Steininger as assistant spring musical director, and Trevor Greene as part-time assistant football coach.
