Middletown finance staff reports modest surplus, flags transfers for TechEd and athletics

Natalie, the district finance staff, told the committee Dec. 15 that the district's Dec. 12 expenditure statement "reflects an overall surplus of $301,403 or 0.29% of the total budget of $103,149,889." She said the combined projected salary surplus for January 2026 is $252,231 and attributed part of the change to a $67,298 projected surplus in certified salaries.

The finance presentation also described adjustments to employee-benefit projections, shifting from a prior-month projected surplus of $453,021 to $167,521 after December transfers "to cover projected deficits in 3 areas: unemployment compensation, purchased professional services and legal fees," Natalie said. She noted that special-education out-of-town-transport costs improved from a prior-month deficit of $56,632 to a current projected deficit of $33,394, reflecting fluctuating student needs and affiliations.

On two recommended transfers, Natalie said the Career and Technical Education (TechEd) department moved surplus from instructional supplies to a repairs-and-maintenance line after confirming with the department director that instructional purchases for the year were complete. "They wanted to move it to another line in order to have the possibility to use those funds should they be required," she said.

Natalie also described an athletics transfer to cover printing and awards. She said athletics shifted funds from a school in-service professional meetings line to the printing line to pay for plaques and awards for Beeman and MHS students; the athletics director confirmed the account normally covers awards but additional funds were needed this year. Natalie said two BCBA positions are currently filled through contracted services while certified replacements are sought and that the district has allocated roughly $25,000 in the 53200 line for paraeducator substitutes to meet immediate needs in ICM classrooms.

Board members asked how some seasonal or summer-temp payroll costs tied to the Kegwin building rehabilitation remained showing as overexpenditures; Natalie said staff had been paid and the district plans to transfer surplus from another line to address the deficit. The committee did not take formal action beyond acknowledging the transfers and hearing the finance report.

The committee will review the December financial statement again at the January board meeting, Natalie said. That review will use the Dec. 12 statement as the reference point.