Medical Lake School Board passes 2016-17 operating budget

At its July 26 meeting, the Medical Lake School Board approved its operating budget for the 2016-17 school year.

During the meeting, Chad Moss, director of finance, said the general fund revenue for 2016-17 is projected at $21.5 million, a 5 percent increase from last year.

From the revenue side, the state accounts for $963,893 while $20,000 is federal money and $50,365 is from local dollars.

Expenditures for this year are projected at $21.9 million, a 5 percent increase from last year ($20.81 million). Moss said the projected beginning fund balance is $1.9 million with an ending balance of $1.5 million.

Moss said most of the expenditures increase is in salaries and benefits to new staff to reach required levels to meet K-3 classroom sizes and the 1.8 percent cost of living adjustment raise.

The district budgeted for 1,821 full-time equivalent (FTE) students, along with 24 in running start. This is an increase of 65 FTE and four running starts students from last year.

During a July 22 interview, Moss said the enrollment increase is from Hallett Elementary School qualifying for full-day kindergarten.

“Rather than record it (the students) as half FTE, they are now a 1.0, which gave us another 40 full-time students,” Moss said. “We had that at Michael Anderson Elementary School last year. Now both schools receive all-day kindergarten funding.”

Revenue for the capital projects fund is $3,500 from investment earnings with the previous year’s ending fund balance at $470,000. Expenditures are set at $450,000, a 28 percent increase from last year. The ending fund balance is projected at $23,500.

“We budget almost all of our capital projects fund in case we need to do a roof or some major catastrophe happens and we need to have some funds available,” Moss said.

The transportation fund revenue is estimated at $191,500, a 13 percent increase from last year. Expenditures are set at $450,000. Moss said the district may purchase two buses.

ASB revenues are set at $304,230 — 4 percent less than last year. The revenue will be added to the beginning fund balance of $90,000. Expenditures are $322,641 and the ending fund balance is projected at $71,589.

In regards to debt service, Medical Lake taxpayers will be assessed $1.367 million during 2016-2017 school year. For 2017, the tax rate is estimated at $2.49 per $1,000 of assessed value — a decrease of 3 cents per $1,000 from 2016.

Before the meeting there was a public hearing for the budget.

In other action items, the board approved the first and second readings of policies “Special Education and Related Services for Eligible Students and “Student Conduct Expectations and Reasonable Sanctions” and “Catheterization.”

The board also had the first reading of the policy “Effective Communication.”

Superintendent Tim Ames explained that the district, as per the policy, would take steps to accommodate anyone with disabilities who attends a school function.

“If someone is deaf, the district would have to provide an interpreter for that person,” Ames said. “If someone is blind, we would supply materials in braille.”

Ames added that a person would need to contact the district ahead of time to request the services.

In other business: the board approved the annual free and reduced meal application for the 2016-17 school year. It also set the meeting dates for the upcoming school year.

Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].