MSD Warren Township previews FY27 budget, bus replacement and capital projects ahead of March 24 adoption vote
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Summary
District staff presented the FY27 budget advertisement and spending priorities — including a $14.5 million referendum operating fund advertisement, a $28 million debt service estimate tied to proposed bonds, a five-year bus replacement plan (12 buses in FY27) and a capital projects plan; a full presentation is scheduled March 18 and formal adoption is set for March 24.
Katie, a district staff member presenting remotely because she was ill, reviewed the district’s fiscal year 2027 budget advertisement and supporting plans during the board’s public hearing.
Katie said the referendum operating fund was advertised at $14,500,000 (with staff noting the district typically advertises conservatively high and expects to adopt a lower figure). She gave a maximum estimated funds figure (about $14,276,225) and recited current levy comparisons for context. For the debt service fund, staff listed an advertised estimate of $28,000,000 tied to approximately $11,000,000 in bond repayment projections and a maximum levy figure corresponding to that planning assumption.
On program allocations, Katie cited line items including transportation ($4,533,461), a shift of family-liaison funding into a grant (LILLY 3) that freed roughly $1,100,000 for the referendum operating fund, staff retention and recruitment (~$3,500,000), student/staff technology ($1,225,000), school safety/security (~$2,030,000), and student learning/college-and-career readiness ($2,400,000). She said the district expects to spend approximately $13,688,461 in the referenced fund areas for FY27.
Katie also presented a five-year bus replacement plan: the district will replace 12 buses in the coming year, a step that will remove buses older than 12 years from the active fleet and address inspection triggers. FY27 replacement spending was estimated at $1,865,000 with additional annual estimates provided for FY28–FY30. She noted recurring problems with propane bus engines for a limited set of vehicles and said district representatives will consult the bus manufacturer/rep to understand the issues.
The capital projects plan summary included service and police vehicles, a voice-over-IP phone system, and a possible financial software update; staff said projects span multiple years and that resolutions to adopt the bus replacement plan and the capital projects fund plan will be presented at the March 24 meeting.
Staff asked the board to hold a fuller presentation on March 18 and to bring adoption items to the March 24 meeting; no public comments were recorded during this hearing.
The board closed the hearing and adjourned the meeting.