Perkiomen Valley SD presents $31.4 million capital needs and a cautious first look at 2025–26 revenues

Perkiomen Valley School District on Monday outlined roughly $31.4 million in facility needs across its eight buildings and previewed preliminary revenue estimates for the 2025–26 budget cycle while reporting a favorable variance in the preliminary 2023–24 audit.

Finance Committee chair Jim Weaver presented the state-mandated annual capital projects plan, which groups dozens of projects by building and priority. Weaver said the consolidated estimate of district-wide capital work is approximately $31,401,000 and that about $17,000,000 in capital project monies are presently available, including bond proceeds and interest earnings tied to prior bond series.

The presentation described building-specific needs — HVAC and air-handling upgrades at middle- and high-school facilities, fire alarm replacements at multiple elementary schools and parking/paving work across sites — and flagged long-range projects, such as an athletic synthetic field option Weaver called "10-plus years" out. Weaver emphasized the list is a planning document, not a recommendation to proceed on all projects at once.

Weaver and business staff also gave the board a "first look" at revenues for 2025–26. Staff estimated modest overall revenue growth of about 0.8 percent, noting the district expects continued strength in earned income tax receipts (Weaver cited an observed baseline near $16 million in recent years). The presentation emphasized uncertainty from assessment appeals and the governor’s upcoming budget, which could affect state subsidy lines.

Preliminary audit figures for 2023–24 were also shared: staff reported a $510,630 positive variance at this stage, driven by stronger-than-expected earned-income and real-estate transfer tax collections, higher investment earnings and a $1 million PlanCon reimbursement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Offsetting pressures included special-education and charter-school expenditures that exceeded budgeted amounts.

Weaver said district staff will bring an Act 1 resolution and a five-year projection to the board in December and continue refining the revenue and expenditure sides of the proposed 2025–26 budget. No formal board action was taken Monday on any specific capital projects; items related to capital and infrastructure were routed to consent or held for additional backup when needed.