Treasurer: district revenues steady, health-insurance claims up 27%; two donations reported
Summary
Treasurer Mrs. Roberts reported year-to-date revenue roughly $13.4 million (near last year), two community donations (a $1,000 gift and a donated tractor), and a 27% increase in health-insurance claims prompting premium adjustments and reserve use.
At the Nov. 17 board meeting, Treasurer Mrs. Roberts presented October financials and an insurance review that showed overall revenue tracking close to last year but a sharp rise in health-insurance claims.
Mrs. Roberts reported year-to-date district revenue of about $13,400,000 compared with roughly $13,500,000 in the prior year and said property-tax receipts were down about 10% while income-tax receipts were up about 6%. She noted expenditures of just under $9,000,000 so far this year compared with $8.5 million a year earlier and explained that some line-item shifts (ESC payments, laptop purchases) accounted for some month-to-month variance.
On donations, Mrs. Roberts said the Lowell and Carolyn Fisher family gave $1,000 to support the National Honor Society Christmas shopping trip, and Larry Keller donated a 1961 Case 630 tractor to the Fairfield Union High School agriculture department (approximate value cited at $1,000).
Insurance and reserves: Mrs. Roberts said an Ohio School Plan risk manager toured every building and offered seven recommendations; district staff have implemented six and continue to discuss the remaining recommendation. She reported UnitedHealthcare claims were up about 27% year over year. The board authorized a 10% monthly premium increase for Plan A and a 3% increase for Plan B; the district planned to use part of a $4.0 million reserve to offset premium increases and had used roughly $344,000 of a planned $360,000 draw so far. "We are still in a fine position," she said, noting about $3.8 million remained in the reserve.
Board discussion focused on the practicality of implementing specific risk-management recommendations (notably, limiting community access to the outdoor track and stadium during student use) and the trade-offs between public access and security. Board members acknowledged the campus is an important community asset and agreed to continue monitoring the issue rather than impose immediate new restrictions.
The treasurer concluded by inviting questions and said staff would continue working with the insurer and monitoring claim trends.
