RSU 04 budgets school nutrition separately; staff and food costs rise amid uncertain federal support

RSU 04 administrators presented the school nutrition fund (separate from the general fund) and explained how the budget changes depending on whether Sabatus Primary School (SPS) remains open. The district reported higher food and delivery costs, modest staffing adjustments tied to a possible SPS closure, and uncertainty about future federal reimbursements.

Why this matters: school nutrition is a dedicated fund that impacts local tax assessments when other revenues and fund balance do not cover costs. During the workshop, staff noted the program’s local contribution has fluctuated and that recent increases in food and supplies have driven the local ask higher than in prior years.

Key points presented: - Staffing: With SPS open the budget included 13 food‑service positions; if SPS closes that would drop by one position (to 12) and create small changes in health‑insurance costs. Mark (operations staff) described the staffing changes and what kitchen equipment could be moved if SPS closes. “Big ticket items… dishwashers, plumbing parts we can use,” he said when discussing reuse and moving equipment between buildings. - Expenditures: The food‑supply line increased by approximately 14% in the draft to account for higher food, delivery and supply costs; managers reported multiple product price increases since September (napkins and other paper goods among them). - Revenues and grants: The presentation increased the projected state subsidy for meals and continued to budget for known awards such as the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Staff said some equipment grants (e.g., for refrigerators, kettles) are periodic and less predictable; they do not recommend banking on irregular equipment awards as stable revenue. - Fund balance and local ask: The school nutrition local contribution has moved from approximately $100,000 (FY22) up to the $132,000–$183,000 range in recent years depending on the SPS open/closed scenario. The district still expects significant state reimbursement tied to meal counts and noted fund‑balance usage will offset some of the local ask.

Quotes from workshop participants include staff noting increased supply costs: “I’d like to say it’s not going to get worse, but every bill we see through the year, it seems like it’s been increases,” Mark said. On grants, a staff member said: “I look for them daily, I apply for them,” describing routine applications for equipment grants.

Next steps: administration will finalize line‑by‑line numbers for the special meeting and incorporate the board’s direction on overall tax targets. The school nutrition fund will be included in the district’s overall budget packet and the board will consider the SPS open/closed versions when finalizing local appropriations.