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York District 1 trustees review budget scenarios showing deficits; board leans toward avoiding use of general fund balance
Summary
District finance staff presented four compensation/millage scenarios showing shortfalls from $882,000 to $1.65 million; trustees discussed using EIA funds, a five‑ to 7.7‑mill increase and targeted cuts, and scheduled a follow‑up meeting to refine options before first reading.
During a work session, York School District 1 finance staff presented four budget scenarios that produced shortfalls ranging from roughly $882,000 to $1.65 million depending on salary and cost‑of‑living adjustments.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Miss Hagner outlined the scenarios: a step‑only increase (scenario one) showed an $882,000 shortfall; a 2% cost‑of‑living adjustment for classified employees plus steps (scenario two) showed a $1.16 million shortfall; and a $1,000 increase for teachers with a 2% COLA for other employees plus steps (scenario three) showed a $1.65 million shortfall. Miss Hagner told trustees the district has roughly 7.7 mills available from prior and current calculations and a total available millage position of about 14.9 mills; staff also modeled a five‑mill option to compare revenue outcomes.
Miss Hagner described fund sources and tradeoffs: the district has historically issued 8% capital funds in the fall (about $7.3–$7.4 million was referenced) and staff identified approximately $460,000 in EIA (state classroom) funds that could be applied one time. She said the district planned to use capital funding rather than operating funds for some projects and emphasized that EIA monies are not guaranteed in future years.
Trustees debated whether to use EIA funds, dip into the general fund balance or raise millage. Several trustees expressed reluctance to deplete the general fund balance and urged minimizing millage increases. Trustees discussed targeted options to realize savings (veteran hiring freezes, removing mission‑noncritical teaching assistant positions, vendor substitutions, and a 5% across‑the‑board reduction) and warned that deeper cuts could affect classroom operations and class sizes. Board members also noted staffing implications from opening a new middle school and the need to add positions to serve split grades.
Multiple trustees signaled a preference not to use the general fund balance as the first option; the board asked staff to run scenarios centered on a 0‑mill, five‑mill and 7.7‑mill approach and to return with more detailed school‑level impacts. Trustees set aside May 19 for an additional meeting to refine figures before a first reading on millage.
