Lacey Township School District officials told parents, students and staff at an April 10 workshop that the district has missed statutory budget deadlines, that an effort to raise the tax levy failed in April and that the tentative budget is now under review by state education officials.

The discussion matters because district leaders say the gap between expected revenues and costs is roughly $6.6 million and could force deep reductions to staff, class sizes, transportation and after-school programs if state action or other funding does not materialize before the May budget timetable.

Acting Superintendent Will Zielinski opened the board's workshop by warning the room that this is a budget workshop. There is no action will be taken tonight, so it's here for discussion and discussion alone. He and other officials reviewed a timeline: the board adopted an original tentative budget March 18 that included a $6.2 million assumed land sale; the county office rejected that tentative budget on March 21 because the sale lacked an appraisal; on April 9 the board declined a revised tentative budget that would have sought a state tax-levy waiver (a proposal that would have raised the levy by about 14.24 percent); the April 14 application deadline for that state incentive then passed.

Zielinski said the district has submitted what he called a thorough and efficient budget to the state and that we are in a little bit of a limbo because the county office will not accept a revised tentative budget that depends on an unconfirmed property sale. He told the audience county staff have passed the district's materials up the chain and that the governor's and state education offices are now reviewing them.

Board members and staff outlined the possible consequences if the state does not provide additional funding and the board cannot submit a balanced tentative budget. The scenarios presented included eliminating courtesy bussing and co-curricular buses, a reduction in curriculum materials and increased class sizes, and staff reductions that Zielinski estimated could total about 20 positions under a worst-case scenario. District staff showed a slide that estimated eliminating courtesy busing and other transportation reductions as one of the largest single savings items and listed athletics and other extracurriculars as roughly a $1.2 million line.

Officials discussed property-sale options the board had projected into its March budget. The district's appraisal for the Lenoxha property came back at roughly $2.1 million, Zielinski said, and county guidance from the county business administrator, Cindy, was that an appraised value or a contract is not enough to count that revenue until the district has a signed buyer. He said the March tentative budget still in county records assumed a $6.2 million sale that the district no longer expects.

Union and community speakers urged alternative approaches at the meeting'many argued that cutting athletics and clubs would harm students and the town. Michael Ryan, president of the Lacey Teachers Association, said the board faces a difficult choice but urged long-term solutions: If we don't, we can sell off a piece of property. That's a band aid. We're never getting that property back. Students and parents filled the lecture hall; student speakers repeatedly told the board that sports and clubs provide mental-health supports and college opportunities. Student Jaden Almani told the board, Sports also keep you active and healthy, and other students and parents urged fundraising drives, corporate sponsorships and a citizens' lobbying effort in Trenton.

Board members said they are pursuing multiple tracks: continuing daily communications with county officials, asking state legislators for help, and exploring district-level options such as donations, naming-rights marketing and targeted program reductions. Several board members and the superintendent emphasized that the board missed the application deadline that allowed some districts to seek a waiver above the 2 percent tax cap and that the district now faces limited options unless the state intervenes.

President Claus told the crowd that the district will continue to press officials in Trenton and that the board will call special meetings if state guidance changes. The board set a public-comment cutoff for the night and reminded the community that a regular board meeting with additional public comment is scheduled the following evening.

For now, no formal budget vote was taken at the workshop; the district remains in discussions with the county business administrator and state officials and has not adopted a new tentative budget. The board and administration urged residents to contact state legislators and noted they would post sample letters and contact information for elected officials.