Conewago Valley SD Board discusses staffing plan, funding options and tax impact

Lori Slumkin, a district staff member presenting the budget plan, told the Conewago Valley School District board at its Feb. 18 Committee of the Whole meeting that the district can “sustain one year” of two new positions (a social worker and a psychologist) from existing access/IDEA funds while officials investigate how to increase reimbursements going forward.

Slumkin outlined a plan to "take back" several special-education classes currently provided through the intermediate unit (IU), saying the district’s total projected cost for those classes is about $770,000 while the IU’s current charge would be about $1,100,000 — a difference Slumkin said would amount to roughly $300,000 in savings if the district provides the services directly. She said savings from the take-back could help offset other proposed positions, including a school resource officer (SRO), a dean of students, a middle school technical education teacher and a special-education administrative assistant.

The budget presenter said the district’s access account already contains enough funding to pay for one year of the new social worker and psychologist positions and staff will visit a peer district (Solanco) on April 11 to review how that district documents services and secures continued reimbursement. "We're looking to build it higher" she said of the access funding, describing state reimbursement as a function of documentation, quarterly payroll reports and periodic time-sampling of services.

Why it matters: The discussion combines personnel decisions, potential recurring costs and local tax implications. Board members repeatedly asked whether the proposed staffing could be sustained without committing tax increases now; Slumkin answered that the district will continue to refine revenues and expenditures over March and present expense detail at the next meeting.

Key numbers and funding sources - Estimated district cost to operate the take-back classes: $770,000. - Current IU charge for the same services: about $1,100,000; estimated savings: roughly $300,000. - Access/IDEA funds: enough to pay one year of the social worker and psychologist; staff will research increasing ongoing reimbursements. - State grants and one-time federal funds: Slumkin cited Ready to Learn (RTL), ESSER and other one-time grants as having boosted recent revenue; she said the district used those funds to seed services but is aiming to sustain essential programs through recurring revenue where feasible.

Tax and millage context Slumkin and board members discussed the district’s approach to indexing millage and potential tax impacts. Using the figures presented, a 50% share of the state index would translate to an estimated $42–$45 increase per $100,000 of assessed value annually, Slumkin said. Board members noted that last year’s approved upper limit was presented as 5.4% (the discussion referenced a 7.2% figure from an earlier year), and that 50% of the current index equates to 2.7% for planning purposes.

Slumkin explained that the dollar value of a mill differs by district; for Conewago Valley she said the district’s mill is currently worth about $2,400,000. She also identified major upward budget pressures outside of staffing: a transportation contract increase of about $700,000, health insurance rising about $1,000,000 and charter-school tuition costs near $1,200,000.

Board direction (poll) The board held a nonbinding poll to gauge whether to "move forward with the staffing plan as presented" while continuing to refine revenues and expenditures. The poll produced several affirmative responses from board members and some members who said they were undecided or not ready to commit without seeing the full budget. No formal vote was taken; Slumkin said she would include the staffing additions in the draft budget so members could see the overall effect when all revenue and expense lines are combined.

Discussion vs. decision The meeting record shows discussion, clarification and a board poll but no formal adoption of the staffing plan or of tax rates. Slumkin repeatedly stressed that state budget uncertainty requires assumptions at this stage and that the district will update figures as state allocations and local revenues are finalized.

What’s next Slumkin said the district will present detailed expense budgets at the next meeting and refine millage options and revenue assumptions over March so the board can weigh trade-offs before adopting a final budget later in the process.

Ending note: Several board members thanked staff for presenting the figures in digestible form and asked for written copies of the building-level budgets in advance of the next meeting so members could review them before staff presents expense detail.