Gettysburg Area SD presents two budget options; board debates fund balance, ACTI funding and staffing costs

Gettysburg Area School District administrators presented two budget options to the board: a 1% tax increase and a 1.5% tax increase. Administration reported projected revenues of about $77,500,000 and proposed expenditures of roughly $79,214,000, leaving a planned draw on the district's fund balance of about $1,600,000 under the 1% scenario.

Administration said the district’s beginning unassigned fund balance for the next budget cycle is $6,300,000 and noted board policy requires retaining roughly 6% of expenditures (about $4,700,000) as unreserved fund balance. The presentation laid out changes since the prior budget draft including higher property/casualty insurance costs, addition of ACTI tuition into the budget figures, updated county assessment estimates for revenue, and a reduction in planned capital funding from $1,000,000 to $696,000 to help reach the 1% option.

Administrators described the difference between the two options as the level of millage increase (1% vs. 1.5%) and emphasized the board must set the budget before the annual audit and before final state revenue figures are known. “I would not want to commit those funds when I do not know if those funds are… accurate,” said Belinda, a district staff member providing budget analysis, explaining the caution about counting projected audit surpluses when adopting the budget.

Board members questioned treatment of a $25,000 contribution previously given to the Gettysburg Area Education Foundation; administration said the district's prior contribution for the foundation's director is removed in the current draft. The board also discussed family navigators — two individuals currently contracted as independent contractors. Administration estimated converting the pair to district employees under the GAEA professional contract could cost roughly $232,182 total, with a budgetary change of approximately $112,182; administrators said converting them would require job descriptions, MUOs, posting and interviews.

Some board members urged prompt action to convert the family navigators to staff, citing three years of service and program value. Other members urged caution given timing in the budget cycle and the unknowns tied to the annual audit. “We’re using $1,600,000 out of savings to balance the budget,” one board member observed, and members discussed the tradeoffs of preserving fund balance versus raising structural revenue.

Administration reviewed longer-term projections showing days of cash on hand could decline under repeated low increases; staff noted a multi-year approach has been used previously to phase in millage for major projects such as ACTI and high school facility work. On ACTI specifically, administrators said last year’s 1% designated for ACTI remains in place and that the district will park future ACTI-designated mills in a committed fund balance until bond payments or a final funding plan is required.

Additional informational items included a Boy Scout candidate’s Eagle Scout request to build a bandstand in Unity Park; the presenter, Caleb Sellers of Boy Scout Troop 73, asked the board to approve the project and was told the item will be placed on the next meeting agenda for action. The district also proposed moving allied golf to allied bocce in the allied sports program; the board was told the change would be cost neutral aside from transportation. Those informational items did not receive votes at this meeting.

Votes at a glance - Routine approvals (agenda items 6.1–6.9, including minutes, superintendent hiring authorization, year-end budget transfers, depositories, athletic game help rates, facility use labor rates and elected tax collectors): motion moved and seconded; roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval (7–0). - HR approvals (items under routine HR except Act 93 portion): motion moved and seconded; roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval (7–0). Act 93 portion (item 6.11 Act 93) was removed from the motion and moved to a future meeting agenda for action. - ACTI operating budget (7.1): motion moved and seconded; roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval (7–0). - Acquisition of lands for school purposes resolution (7.2): motion moved and seconded; roll-call vote recorded unanimous approval (7–0).

The board will consider the final budget adoption at the date advertised for the vote; administrators said the completed budget and related presentations will be posted online and that staff will complete required filings with the Pennsylvania Department of Education after adoption.