The Salem Grade School Superintendent Dr. Leslie Foppe says the district is looking at a $1.3-million deficit for the coming year.
Foppe says one of the biggest issues the district is facing is a nine-percent increase in the cost of health insurance and an expected cut in transportation reimbursement. A meeting will be held with staff on the health insurance cost issue. The district provides full insurance coverage to each staff member with family coverage costing the employee.
The overall budget totals $13,185,000 in expenses and just $11,894,000 in revenue. The district will be able to cover any shortfall with $5 million the district currently has in reserves. A public hearing on the budget will be held during the September meeting.
The board was told the opening of school went well, except for issues with some of the heating and air conditioning units at both schools. Most issues were correct quickly, but one above a Title room at Hawthorn continued to freeze up at night and thaw during the day dumping water onto the room. The class has been moved until the problem is resolved and the damaged carpeting can be replaced with a tile floor.
Franklin Park opened with 521 students including those who attend early childhood in the building. Hawthorn numbers were not immediately available but are similar to the start of school last year.
In personnel news, the board accepted the retiring of Mike Bookhout as custodian effective in October. The board hired Cassidy Jeffords as a paraprofessional and Ron Bryan as part-time custodian.
