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Board hears budget overview: general-fund health, per-pupil funding assumptions and millage plans
Summary
District finance staff presented a budget that projects a general fund balance near 17%, uses a blended student count of 2,253 and a per-pupil assumption of $10,300 (an increase of about $250), and described revenue/expense shifts driven by the removal of one‑time grant funds and pension changes.
At the June 22 meeting the Chelsea School District presented its preliminary budget picture for the coming year. Finance staff said the district expects a general-fund balance of about 16.94% for the current year, dropping slightly to an estimated 16.04% next year as one-time grant revenues are removed from the base.
Nicole told the board the district used a blended student count of 2,253 and a per-pupil funding assumption of $10,300 — roughly $250 more per pupil than the prior estimate — and that some expenditures are declining because one-time money from grants and contract payouts will not repeat. "A large portion of this is due to one-time funding that was in 25–26 that has been pulled out of the budget," Nicole said.
The presentation included line-item previews for other funds: the CTE millage transfer is now estimated at about $445,000 to offset wages and transportation, with an additional ~$248,000 for programming and equipment through the regional branch; the food-service fund is projected to end this year at about $288,000 and next year at roughly $222,000; community education revenue/expenditures are estimated at about $2.2 million and generally roll to zero each year; and the district will again set an operating millage consistent with last year (18 mills) and a debt-related millage that remains steady (6.4 mills for debt retirement).
Board members asked about the timing and certainty of state per-pupil funding, noting the state has sometimes delivered funding late. Nicole said the district used an average across proposals and is "confident in the fact that the per pupil will be either at or slightly above" the figure presented but noted the unknown remains the exact timing.
Members also discussed the food-service fund threshold that would trigger a state-required spend-down plan. Nicole explained that if the food-service fund carries more than three months of operating expenditures the state requires a plan and that the district is watching the fund but is not yet concerned.
Administrative updates at the meeting also included construction progress reports (North Creek renovations and a multipurpose field ahead of schedule) and active summer programming across the district.
Board members asked for continued updates on state funding actions and requested materials community-facing materials for upcoming millage outreach.
