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Board hears finance and budget update as Skyward goes live; PA 152 and EGLE grant could affect district costs
Summary
Finance director reported the new Skyward finance system is live and payrolls processed; a pending state change to PA 152 could raise district health-insurance costs (estimated ~$300,000 first year) and the district received an $18,855 EGLE grant to add filtered bottle-fillers to meet state requirements.
Finance director Missus Hodge told the board on Dec. 9 that the district—s new Skyward finance system is running and three payrolls have been processed from the new platform. She said transaction totals have been migrated and auditors may need data from both the old and new systems while audit reports are compiled.
Hodge briefed the board on a package of state-level issues that could affect the budget. She described a bill pending in the legislature that would amend PA 152, the statute that limits district contributions toward employee health insurance. As outlined by staff, an initial change could increase the district—s contribution caps by 7 percent in year one and would set a 3 percent minimum increase or medical CPI (whichever is higher) thereafter. Using the district—s current enrollment and plan mix, staff estimated a roughly $300,000 increase in year one and about $150,000 per year thereafter under current assumptions; cumulatively the district—s estimate over the first six years would exceed $1 million if enrollment and assumptions remain unchanged.
Hodge also announced the district was awarded an $18,855 grant through EGLE—s Filter First program to add or replace filtered bottle-filler stations to meet a legislative requirement of one filtered bottle filler per 100 students per building. She noted the grant will cover purchased equipment and one year of filter replacement, but ongoing testing and replacement costs will be an operational expense and will need to be budgeted going forward.
Board members were told the finance office will continue to monitor the pending legislation and adjust planning assumptions during the district budget process. Hodge advised that some state-aid and retirement-related funding lines remain uncertain and that the board will hear more budget detail in coming months.
