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Madison Local faces roughly $2.8M shortfall after levy defeat; board hears plan to close Mifflin and cut staff
Summary
After a failed levy, Madison Local leaders told the board they face nearly $2.8 million in added shortfalls driven by higher health insurance costs and a $150,000 county revenue reduction; the superintendent recommended closing Mifflin Elementary and at least 26 staff reductions to avoid a negative cash balance.
The Madison Local School Board on Monday heard a step-by-step plan to address a widening budget gap after voters defeated the district's recent levy and county actions reduced revenue.
Superintendent (speakers label: Superintendent) told the board that the district is 'working very hard' to develop reductions after the levy's defeat and that administrators and the treasurer are preparing to implement cuts to keep the district solvent. He said the gap between a projected positive cash balance and a potential negative balance has grown from about $2 million in the summer to roughly $2.8 million now and warned that 'we're probably looking at cuts' approaching $3,000,000.
The board was told the shortfall reflects several moving pieces: a nearly $150,000 revenue reduction the superintendent attributed to a county commissioner decision; health insurance renewal estimates that the treasurer said would raise premiums from about $10,000,000 to $11,800,000 (an 18% increase, or roughly $1.8 million); and ongoing cost pressures such as higher-than-budgeted benefits and student-level services. The treasurer described the insurance change as a primary driver of the new gap and said even a small forecasting error could add hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Why it matters: The superintendent recommended closing Mifflin Elementary and reorganizing grade-level placements into the remaining elementary buildings to avoid a negative cash balance. He said the recommendation would require staffing reductions; the agenda item proposed reductions of 'not less than 26 positions' and acknowledged the final number could be higher because about 85% of the district's budget is staffing. The superintendent stressed the district will first examine non-staff options to minimize layoffs but that substantial cuts are likely.
Board action and next steps: The board voted to support the superintendent's recommendation as part of the Superintendent Business agenda packet. Members moved and recorded a roll-call vote in favor of supporting the items discussed (motion recorded and approved during the meeting). The board also approved routine motions earlier in the meeting, including acceptance of donations and the treasurer's monthly report.
Public response: During public comment several residents raised concerns about the proposal to close Mifflin and how the district will serve students with mobility needs. Sarah Miller of 958 Fleming Falls Road urged the district to 'make Eastview and South handicap accessible' and asked the board to meet the students who rely on Mifflin's accessibility. Resident Braden Hain called closing Mifflin 'short sighted' and urged the board to exhaust other options first.
What remains unresolved: The district has not published a finalized list of specific positions targeted for reduction, a timeline for implementing building closures, nor a detailed accessibility retrofit plan for the remaining elementary buildings. The superintendent said planning has begun and staff and administration are developing implementation steps with the treasurer and board.
The board proceeded into executive session to continue confidential deliberations; no public vote on final staffing or closure decisions occurred at the meeting.
