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Wallingford projects roughly $191,000 budget surplus; special-education deficit narrows
Summary
Finance staff reported a projected $191,000 surplus for the school district through January 2025 while special-education tuition remains a significant deficit though the projection improved this month.
The Wallingford School District presented a January 2025 financial projection showing an improved position, with a roughly $191,000 projected surplus and several line-item shifts explained by district finance staff.
Daniel Barone, speaking as the district finance presenter, told the Operations Committee the $191,000 projection reflects savings in multiple accounts and that the district is not using its 2% set-aside for special education this month. Barone said benefits show a $73,000 increase in surplus, including about $25,000 tied to HSA contributions and additional savings from vacancies and employees declining coverage.
Barone reported the largest single change was an overall salaries increase of about $145,000. He broke that into three components: an increase in certified salaries tied to a large leave of absence, a roughly $63,000 reduction in noncertified payroll driven by vacancies, and projected surplus in substitute and seasonal accounts of about $60,000–$70,000.
On special education, Barone said the district reduced the special-education tuition shortfall by $169,000; he reported that tuition remains a deficit of $1,340,000. He also said the excess-cost grant projection was reduced by $109,000; combining the two items reduced the overall special-education projection by nearly $60,000 compared with the prior month.
Transportation showed a $16,000 decrease in surplus; Barone noted frequent month-to-month movement in that account as vehicle purchases and vehicle-use days change. Utilities moved in mixed directions: an $18,000 decrease in overall utilities surplus after the power company’s power-cost-adjustment for electricity more than doubled from December to January, while the district expects some natural gas and oil savings. Unemployment changes were minor.
Barone closed by saying contingency and the district’s waterfall plan remain unchanged at this time and invited questions. No formal budget action was taken at the Operations meeting; the committee later took consensus to forward the financial and food-service reports (agenda items 4.1 and 4.2) to the full Board for the Feb. 24 meeting.
Barone’s full projection materials remain in the district’s Munis year-to-date report and linked handouts for the Board.
