The Unit 5 school board received a mid-year update on the budget at its meeting on Wednesday.
“In general, we're on track, pleased with where the budget is currently,” said finance director Marty Hickman.
Several key facets of the budget are doing better than the school district projected when the $244.7 million budget was passed in September. Hickman noted the education fund, operations and maintenance fund and the tort fund are all showing a surplus. Transportation and working cash funds are at a deficit, according to projections for the rest of the fiscal year.
Revenue from the state for transportation is projected to be higher than the district budgeted for, with Hickman saying, “The pro-ration, although worse than last year, did not come in as low as we anticipated for this year. So good news, bad news on that one.”
Also Wednesday, the board approved a $82,760 project for resurfacing the Normal West High School tennis courts. The courts have deteriorated to a point of being unsafe for athletic events and physical education class use since the last resurfacing in 2019.
The project is expected to begin June 1 with an end date of June 12.
The board also approved a $40,924 pool scoreboard purchase from Colorado Time Systems for Normal West. Items ordered include two LED scoreboards and three sign panel frames. Installation is expected in the next two to eight weeks.
Board member Mark Adams II also followed up on the teacher resignation the school board unanimously rejected in January.
“I do have some [regrets definitely] on voting ‘yes’ regarding the teacher resignation at our last board meeting,” said Adams.
A ‘yes’ vote was a vote in favor of rejecting the resignation. The Unit 5 Education Association [UFEA] opposed the move, arguing the rejection makes Unit 5 look like a less welcoming school district.
“I do stand in solidarity with UFEA and their stance against the practice, just generally speaking,” said Adams. “I look forward to working closer with UFEA on future matters and pledge to work closer with them in the event of a teacher resignation.”
