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Board adopts proposed final budget with 3.25% tax increase; proposal moves to required public posting before final June vote
Summary
The board voted to adopt a proposed final general fund budget for 202526#x2013;26 with $89,314,814 in budgeted revenue and $89,230,000.120 in budgeted expenditures and a proposed 3.25% millage increase; the item will be posted for the required period before the final budget vote in June.
The Exeter Township School Board adopted a proposed final general fund budget on May 19 that the administration presented as a $89,314,814 revenue plan and $89,230,000.120 in budgeted expenditures. The proposal, as presented by finance committee leadership, is tied to a proposed 3.25% tax increase and will be posted for the statutory period before the board considers a final adoption at the June voting meeting.
Timothy Morgan, who led the finance discussion, walked the board through line-item questions from members regarding special education (private placements and outsourced services driving large variances in the special programs object codes), operations and maintenance (deferred building maintenance and recent unplanned plumbing work), transportation (special-needs transports and outsourced routes) and noninstructional student activities (athletics and clubs). Business administrator Brian Fike and other staff clarified that substantial increases in several object-code categories reflect mandated special-education placements, increased outsourcing for specialized repairs and vehicle replacement/transport costs.
Board members asked whether the budget as proposed preserves programs discussed earlier in the meeting. Morgan and administration members reiterated that the proposed budget, if ultimately adopted as the final budget, preserves programs as currently described; they also noted that the proposal includes a planned staffing elimination through attrition and a change to the high school librarian role (the administration described this as a "shift"). Board members and administrators emphasized that the proposed budget is not the final budget; it must be publicly posted for the mandated period and then be re-voted at the June meeting.
After a roll-call vote the proposed final budget passed 6-3. Recorded votes in the roll call were: Allison Wilson (yes), Julia Schaefer (yes), Travis Odom (yes), Timothy Morgan (yes), Jason Mill (yes), Deborah Bloom (yes), Dr. Anne Herring (no), John Fidler (no), and Dr. Andrea Battler (no). The administration will post the proposed budget per statutory requirements and return the item for formal final adoption at the scheduled June meeting.
Speakers quoted in this article include Timothy Morgan (finance committee), Brian Fike (business administrator/board secretary), and board members recorded on the roll call.
