Conewago Valley board tables ACTI budget item after members raise transparency and cost concerns

The Conewago Valley School District Board of Education voted to remove agenda item No. 10 — the Adams County Technical Institute (ACTI) budget submission — from tonight’s approvals and to schedule a follow-up meeting where an ACTI representative will walk the board through the budget.

Board members said they could not approve the item without clearer detail on staffing costs and how district contributions are calculated. Concerns centered on a reported $102,000 overall increase in ACTI’s proposed operating budget, of which a $150,000 line item for an assistant administrative position accounts for most of the change; the board noted about $32,000 of the increase remains after that position is excluded.

Why it matters: board members said the proposed increase and the way funds were presented conflict with earlier briefings and with what some members expected to be available in the budget. Several members said an $80,000 line from last year — which they believed could have funded a similar role — was not clearly carried forward in the documents. Because Conewago Valley is one of five contributing districts to ACTI, members said the district’s share and voting structure make transparency especially important ahead of the final state filing deadline.

Discussion and key details Board members repeatedly described the difficulty of approving the ACTI budget without a clear explanation of the new position and its total cost. One board member said the assistant administrative director line item appears as $150,000 in the current submission and that “all but $32,000 of the increase” is tied to that position. Another member said they were told earlier that a comparable position would be closer to $80,000 and that board members had not been part of interviews or selection discussions.

Members also probed how ACTI’s district contribution is calculated. Staff and board discussion referenced a 3-year enrollment average used in the formula, with the average accounting for 80% of the contribution calculation and the district’s eligible grades 9–12 enrollment the other 20%. Board members said the combination of that formula and recent enrollment figures led to a higher share for Conewago Valley than some members expected.

Timing pressures and next steps Board members noted ACTI must publish its budget for 30 days before the filing deadline (mentioned in discussion as June 30). The board passed a motion to remove item No. 10 from tonight’s agenda and to reconvene for a briefing with an ACTI representative before any vote. The motion was moved and seconded; a roll-call vote on the motion recorded nine “yes” votes and no recorded “no” votes, and the item was tabled.

What was decided The board’s action formally delays any approval of the ACTI budget from this meeting. The district’s business staff and ACTI were asked to provide a full walk-through of the proposed budget line items, staffing assumptions (including benefits/retirement costs that make up the $150,000 figure), and the calculation used for each district’s share before the next vote.

Context and background Board members said this concern is not new: questions about ACTI staffing and budget presentation date to at least October, when members said a similar position was discussed. Board members emphasized the need for clearer communication among the five contributing school districts and for ACTI to supply the requested documentation before Conewago Valley casts a final vote.

Ending The board did not approve the ACTI budget tonight. Staff will schedule a follow-up briefing with an ACTI representative and provide the board with a line-item explanation of the contested staffing costs and the district-contribution calculation ahead of the district’s final decision.