D100 public hearing-FY14 budget

[Ted]

Interesting public hearing this Wednesday in District 100.  The district has to have a public meeting to allow for the increase in expenditures for FY13/F14 budget (last year's budget).

I believe a public hearing has to be called if/when the budget is more than some percentage different in a fund than what was approved in the budget last September.

  The interesting thing is this - The agenda item is claiming the increase in expenditures is due to the bad winter weather.

[dukesdad]

Seems entirely possible.

[Ted]

Seems entirely possible.

I agree an increase in possible due to bad weather.  But, hearings are usually held when there is a more than 10% difference and money has to be transferred between funds that is more than 10%.

  A more than 10% increase in expenditures due to the weather is pretty large.

[berwynista]

Ted, do you have the deets for the meeting? Time and place?

[Ted]

Ted, do you have the deets for the meeting? Time and place?

  The public hearing will be at 7 PM at Heritage on Wednesday, July 23.

  Usually, a public hearing like this is not very contentious.  The board has to amend the previous year's budget if it is off by over a certain percentage in one of the funds.

  I have seen this in other school districts like D201 over the years.  In D201 cases, it was because of the deficit depleting funds more than expected and having to transfer money from one fund to another.

  I just found it interesting that the explanation was the bad winter weather.  I was wondering if other school districts were having to do the same thing because of the bad weather this winter.

  FYI, a public hearing is not necessary if the budget is off by only a "little" bit (e.g. less than 10%).

  Expenditures in D100 last year were expected to be in the $40 million to $45 million dollar range.  10% of that is $4.5 million.

[chandasz]

There were a lot of damages done due to burst pipes and antiquated HVAC. I'm not surprised at all. I saw the damage to 2 of the rooms at Hiawatha and it was awful.

I suppose if other school districts have failing infrastructure and low school funding- I'm sure they're needing emergency repairs too.

[mustang54]

There were a lot of damages done due to burst pipes and antiquated HVAC. I'm not surprised at all. I saw the damage to 2 of the rooms at Hiawatha and it was awful.

I suppose if other school districts have failing infrastructure and low school funding- I'm sure they're needing emergency repairs too.

They don't have insurance to cover the damage from burst pipes?

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

There were a lot of damages done due to burst pipes and antiquated HVAC. I'm not surprised at all. I saw the damage to 2 of the rooms at Hiawatha and it was awful.

I suppose if other school districts have failing infrastructure and low school funding- I'm sure they're needing emergency repairs too.

I agree.  My furnace needed a new blower motor and gas valve this winter to get through the nasty weather and it is older.  I still wonder why the school district waited until the boilers were in such bad shape to put forth a referendum and why they didn't do anything sooner considering the damage it looks they are now faced with.  It seems to be extremely poor planning on their part.