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Brandstetter lays out Mars Area SD budget calendar, flags 11.46% health-insurance estimate
Summary
At a Mars Area School District finance meeting on Feb. 3 (year not specified in the transcript), Miss Brandstetter reviewed the budget calendar through June, said the district aims for no tax increase, and projected a health-insurance cost increase of about 11.46%; she set a May 5 presentation of the proposed final budget with a likely vote in mid-May or June.
Miss Brandstetter, who led the finance meeting, reviewed the district's budget-development calendar and key deadlines at the Feb. 3 finance meeting (year not specified in the transcript). She told board members the district is working from a Jan. 13 resolution to limit increases "to the index" and said "the goal is to not have a tax increase this year."
Brandstetter listed a series of preparatory meetings running through March: a transportation review (she met with Tina on Jan. 21), a PASBO state-budget seminar she will attend, and several administrator meetings in March to cover staffing (March 4), curriculum (March 5 with Dr. McMahon), special education (March 12), maintenance and capital improvements (March 19 with Randy and Lori), athletics and student activities (March 25 with Zach and Lindsey), and telecommunications and the MAE project (March 26 with Mr. Bitzer).
She told the board that several items are due to the business office Feb. 25, including special requests, a three-year technology plan, capital-improvement requests and building-level curriculum requests; some curriculum/textbook requests have already been received. Brandstetter also said several administrative submissions are due March 16 and that building-level material is due March 25.
On the district's health-insurance outlook, Brandstetter said the health-consortium meeting date was still to be determined but that the estimate was "about 11.46%," with final numbers to be available in March.
Brandstetter said she plans to present the proposed final budget on May 5 and expects to ask for a board vote around May 12 so the budget can be available for 20 days of public inspection before final approval in June (she referenced a June 9 meeting). She told members the May 12 date "just gives you more time to review it," but that the presentation and vote could be scheduled flexibly to accommodate calendar conflicts.
A board member raised a scheduling concern, saying past budget timelines have required them to miss a student's orchestra concert and asking whether the vote could be moved; Brandstetter and the chair said the district can aim for either the May 5 or May 12 date.
The group also discussed capital planning. One member urged creating a multi-year capital schedule to smooth out large, predictable costs (roofs, paving, boilers, vehicles) rather than facing multiple major replacements in a single year. Brandstetter agreed and suggested starting with prior facilities work done by John Thomas as a baseline to populate and maintain a five- to ten-year plan. She said she will try to locate those prior materials.
Next procedural steps: Brandstetter will finalize health-insurance numbers in March, collect the March submissions from administrators, present the proposed final budget May 5, and the board will consider a vote in mid-May (or at the first meeting after the required public-inspection period) with final approval expected in June.
