West Chester Area SD property & finance committee approves budget forecast updates, capital awards and solar grant application

The West Chester Area School District property and finance committee on Jan. 21 approved an updated budget forecast, adopted a tax-collection compensation resolution for 2026–2029, awarded multiple capital project contracts and agreed to apply for a solar grant for East Bradford Elementary School.

Harry Scully presented the district’s January budget forecast, reporting higher-than-budgeted revenues that improved the district’s projected ending fund balance by about $2.7 million. Scully said current real estate tax receipts were about $1.5 million higher than budgeted and that investment income had been increased by $1.2 million, leaving the district with a stronger near-term position as it moves toward the 2025–26 budget cycle.

Tax-collection compensation resolution

Committee members approved a required four-year resolution on tax-collection compensation for Jan. 1, 2026, through Dec. 31, 2029. Staff described two options in the resolution: one where local tax collectors collect and are compensated for reasonable expenses (discussion referenced a 55¢ compensation figure as used in past cycles) and a second where tax collectors delegate collection responsibility to the district. The committee voted to adopt the same compensation approach used in the prior two cycles; the vote was…