Greensburg Salem School Board has proposed a $49.4 million budget that would keep the district property tax steady at 89.72 mills.
That represents an increase of about $325,000 from the current year’s spending plan, with a deficit of about $543,500 to be bridged by drawing on the district’s fund balance. That balance was sitting at more than $7 million at the end of the 2021-22 school year.
The new budget could change by the time the school board approves a final version at its June 21 meeting.
Among figures that have yet to be determined are state subsidies. Those will depend on what is included when lawmakers in Harrisburg approve Pennsylvania’s budget.
While Gov. Josh Shapiro has proposed a $650,000 increase in subsidies for Greensburg Salem, business manager Allison Willis said the district is taking a conservative approach to that revenue source.
“We’re only budgeting for 50% of what he’s proposing for increases,” she said.
An $80,000 decrease is expected in federal funding, largely a result of pandemic recovery dollars coming to an end through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund.
As for local revenue, Willis noted recent wage tax collections have exceeded what was budgeted. Also, the district is earning more on the money it has invested at a local bank, garnering 4.5% interest.
“We’re being very strategic with that, placing it in a higher-yield savings account,” Willis said.
On the expense side, salaries are expected to increase overall by $694,000, or about 3.5%.
Willis noted that includes a savings of about $168,000, through replacing seven veteran faculty members who are retiring or resigning with less-senior instructors.
At its May meeting, the board approved the retirement of secondary math teacher Cathy Zilli, effective June 8. It hired two Spanish teachers, Miranda Filak and Dylan Rinehart, at $55,060 each, and technology instructor Alan Gray, at a salary of $58,460.
The board also agreed to transfer speech-language pathology services in-house. Superintendent Ken Bissell said the district expects to save $40,000 by adding three involved teachers, previously employed by the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, to the district payroll, thus eliminating some supervision expenses.
Greensburg Salem is planning to add three school resource officers — one each at the middle school and at Nicely and Hutchinson elementary schools. It also is advertising for an associate administrator to the superintendent and community outreach, who would succeed the late Ashley Kertes.
The resource officers would add $132,000 to the district payroll.
“Security is a hot topic,” Willis said. “We do feel that is an area we need to address. We feel we can easily put these positions in the budget without having a (tax) impact. Now is the time to do it.”
Willis said the district will spend about $27,000 less than it had expected on employee health coverage. It had anticipated an 11% hike in premiums, but the plans most employees use will increase between 8% and 9%, she said.
Enrollment at tech center, cost share going up
The school board approved a 2023-24 operating budget of $9.9 million for the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center. Greensburg Salem’s cost share of more than $758,000 represents an increase of $197,000.
Even though the technology center’s cost per student has decreased by $231, the district is expecting to increase the number of students enrolled there, from almost 100 to as many as 140, according to Robin Savage, a member of the Greensburg Salem board and of the center’s joint operating committee.
