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Wallingford-Swarthmore SD projects $548,933 use of fund balance; board seeks smaller high-school renovation
Summary
Finance leaders presented a proposed 2026–27 general fund that would use $548,933 of fund balance, recommended a 3.21% millage increase, and asked architects for a value-engineered high-school redesign closer to $65 million (down from about $99 million).
The Wallingford-Swarthmore SD finance committee presented a proposed 2026–27 general fund budget on May 19 that would require the district to use $548,933 of its fund balance under current assumptions, and recommended a 3.21% millage increase to help close the gap. Finance Chair (identified in the transcript as S2) said the revised expenses are budgeted at $106,344,940 with revenues of $105,796,007, “which means the district would need to utilize 548,933 in fund balance.”
The committee also discussed scaling back a planned high-school renovation. Facilities staff told the committee they have asked architects KCBA and CHA to present reduced-scope designs and value-engineering options, aiming to bring the project cost closer to about $65 million from an earlier ~$99 million estimate. A presenter in the meeting (S3) said architects will return with options and noted, “we're going from the 99 or the 95 to 65, that is simply information for us to add as we make decisions.”
Board members and staff framed personnel costs as the principal long-term pressure on the budget. The presenter summarized that salary and benefits make up roughly 72% of district spending and that continued reliance on fund balance is unsustainable; the district plans further attrition-based reductions and a June follow-up with multi-year projections. The presenter said the district eliminated four additional positions through attrition since April, yielding about $550,000 in savings.
The business office reported several one-time or recently realized revenue items that improved the near-term outlook: an unbudgeted special-education contingency payment of about $150,000 and reassessments/new-construction tax revenue that added roughly $520,000 in taxable value and contributed interim tax receipts.
Finance staff emphasized that the presented figures are budgeted (not actuals) and that further changes between now and adoption could alter the final numbers. The committee scheduled additional reviews at upcoming meetings, and staff said the proposed budget will be presented at the regular board meeting the following week. The committee closed by noting the next committee meeting is June 9.
