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Assistant superintendent reports $3.67 million surplus, cites staffing gaps and special-education costs
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Matt Shevano told the budget committee the district closed FY23-24 with an approximate $3,667,000 surplus and retained about $850,000 in fund balance; he attributed the surplus to unfilled positions, revenue gains and contract savings and highlighted rising special-education and health-insurance costs as continuing pressures.
Assistant Superintendent Matt Shevano presented the Merrimack School District’s FY23-24 year-end review to the budget committee, reporting a $3,667,000 surplus after accounting for underexpenditures and revenue increases.
“Last year, we returned $6,200,000 to reduce taxes. This year, we're looking at $3,667,000,” Shevano said, explaining that an unusual mix of turnover, unfilled positions and revenue performance produced the result. He said the district retained about $850,000 in fund balance (a $500,000 carryover plus an added $350,000), citing a recent law authorizing districts to retain surplus at up to 5% of net assessment.
Shevano walked the committee through key drivers: roughly $2,000,000 in underspent professional-salary lines due to staffing vacancies; increased contracted services for special education (naming White Birch and other agencies); savings from renegotiated gas and electric contracts; and higher legal costs that prompted a proposed increase in the legal line from $60,000 to $80,000. He named the Wit & Wisdom literacy program as a board-approved purchase funded in part from retained surplus.
On special education, committee members were told about the district’s concentration of services: the district has about 20% of students in special education and has averaged the low 20s in out-of-district placements (about 22–23 students), some of which can cost “up to $300,000, $350,000” per placement for high-intensity needs. Bill noted that special-education aid from the state appeared to be declining and flagged broader state funding concerns.
Shevano listed recent grants and revenues: IDEA grant (~$984,000), a Safe Schools grant (~$300,000 for locks and cameras), Title I (~$138,000) and several other federal titles; he estimated grant revenues around $1.5 million. He said a farm grant of about $6,000 funded a hydroponic project at Thornton’s Ferry.
Committee members asked for follow-up detail: a chart-of-accounts explanation, exact costs for Wit & Wisdom (staff estimated about $400,000 total and will confirm), a breakdown of contracted versus in-house positions and the number of residential out-of-district placements. Shevano and staff committed to providing the detailed breakdowns and materials at future meetings.
Shevano closed by previewing capital items under review — including roofing, possible roadway/sidewalk work on O'Gara Drive, and a proposed central office rebuild with a recent estimate of about $6.2 million — and said planning and building committee recommendations will precede any warrant articles.
