Published Wednesday, June 5, 2002
FARRELL, WHEATLAND
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Plan still nearly $100,000 in red
Herald Staff Writer
After making cuts in athletics and other areas, Farrell Area School Board is still nearly $100,000 short of balancing the 2002-03 budget.
While the board proposed cutting $15,000 from the athletics budget, all sports will be maintained. The cuts come through small savings throughout all departments in all sports.
For example, football helmets would be refurbished instead of bought new. Basketball uniforms would no longer be laundered at the district's expense. Uniform and equipment purchases would be cut to the minimum.
"We will not be sacrificing the quality of equipment," Director James S. Guerino said Monday.
All coaches would be forced to spend less, Superintendent Richard R. Rubano Jr. said.
The board also halved the pay out for coaches' intramural hours, such as when they man the weight room in the summer. The move will save $6,400.
The board backed off a proposal to stop buying athletic shoes for its team members, keeping that $6,000 line item in the budget.
The board could approve a 2002-03 spending plan as early as Monday, said Business Administrator Ronald Pendel.
Pendel outlined more possible cuts:
Another issue presented in budget changes was the day-care program. Currently a fund containing $20,000 is set aside to subsidize the program.
The program has become more financially sound and has not needed the financial cushion from the board, Pendel said.
"Still, we feel keeping at least $10,000 in the account in the event that there is an emergency need for it would be wise," he added.
Items that were not cut, but previously proposed for the chopping block included new technology purchases, such as computers, and a physical education teaching position.
Despite the cuts, projected revenue is still $96,454 short of anticipated spending and the board will need to balance the budget with its fund balance, a rainy day savings account.
Pendel warned there may not be enough -- or any -- money in that account at the end of this school year. The account balance will not be known until late September or early October, when an audit is completed, he said.
While the board has been eyeing a 4-mill tax hike, Director Ronald Weston said he would prefer raising taxes only 1 or 2 mills.
Pendel encouraged the board to stick with the proposed 4-mill hike, but agreed to draw up some numbers showing the effect of a lower increase.
"Remember, we still are negotiating two contracts and the amount of the 'rainy day' fund is still unknown," Pendel said. "We need to build a savings account back up so that we have a cushion or room for error. We don't want to find ourselves right back in the same place next year, even after all these cuts," he said.