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Plymouth board approves preliminary 2024–25 budget for publication despite projected shortfall
Summary
The Plymouth Joint School District board voted to publish its preliminary 2024–25 budget, which projects about $34.04 million in revenue, $34.8 million in expenses and a preliminary deficit of roughly $764,500; members earmarked fund balance for one-time needs and noted uncertainty over TID receipts and special-education reimbursements.
The Plymouth Joint School District Board of Education on a unanimous voice vote approved publishing the district's preliminary 2024'25 budget for the annual meeting. The budget as presented projects roughly $34,040,000 in revenue and about $34,800,000 in expenses, producing a preliminary deficit of approximately $764,500.
Amy, the district finance presenter, told the board, "So right now, our budget is projected at $34,040,000 for revenue." She identified two large items that help explain the gap: a $350,000 Fairview roofing project expensed this fiscal year and an estimated roughly $200,000 in special-education high-cost expenses for a student requiring additional services. Amy said the district may recover part of some special-education costs through state high-cost aid applied after the expense year, but that timing means some revenue could appear in the following fiscal year.
Board members also discussed a large private-school voucher expense shown in last year's numbers (about $891,000 in the prior budget lines) and the continuing difficulty in reconciling voucher payments with equalization aid. Amy said she had used last year's voucher numbers for the preliminary worksheet because final DPI figures will not be available until Oct. 15 and the district's third Friday student count occurs this week.
The board noted it ended 2023'24 with an unaudited surplus near $977,000 and that administration proposed assigning $500,000 of fund balance to known needs (Act 20 compliance costs, custodial and grounds equipment, and a Parkview playground pledge). Amy said the ESSER closeout and audit adjustments moved roughly $400,000 during the audit last year; those funds had been restricted and reclassified in the audit process.
Chair opened the motion to approve the preliminary budget for publication; a board member moved the motion and it was seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote. Amy said any changes discovered between now and publication will be updated before the annual meeting and re-presented at the Committee of the Whole in October.
What happens next: DPI's Oct. 15 data and the district's third-Friday student count will inform final revenue-limit and aid numbers; the board's adopted preliminary budget will be published as required for the annual meeting and updated if necessary before final adoption.
