The budget picture for the Wa
yland Union school district at the end of this fiscal year continues to improve.
Finance Director Bill Melching told school board members Thursday night that the goal of increasing the fund balance by one-half to one percent this year will be met and exceeded.
Melching said one huge reason for good financial news is that revenue from the Gun Lake casino seems to be increasing of late and things should be looking better with plans for the facility’s expansion. Wayland schools has a compact with the casino in which a certain percentage of receipts going into the district’s coffers.
Melching said he expects an increase of between $50,000 and $100,000 in July when the next payment is announced.
Mild winter weather and lower gas prices also have had a positive impact. Snowplowing came in at $14,000 less than budgeted for and there was an estimated $20,000 less in gas for buses.
Another piece of good news was that the district spent about $35,000 less in legal fees this year. And though the actual figure won’t be known until October, the schools may get as much as an extra $120 per student in state aid for fiscal year 2016-17. Officials say as many as 30 more students are anticipated next fall.
On the downside, less funding for special education to the Allegan Education Service Area (AAESA) will recult in a drop of about $119,000.
Melching said the result should be an additional 1.8% in the fund balance as of July 1.
But that figure will be reduced slightly because the board agreed to spend almost $40,000 for new equipment and uniforms for the marching band, which is growing in numbers and interest.
Board Treasurer Toni Ordway, commenting on the support for the band, “It’s a one-time expenditure, and it’s good timing with news about that extra money.”
The board also agreed to buy a used vehicle for use by Mike Miller as new director of public safety and it will spend minimal amounts on proactive water sampling in the wake of the Flint water crisis.
The schools also will have a boiler repaired for the high school pool, which has been a financial drain with expensive repairs over the past several years. The pool is expected to be a centerpiece in plans to have a bond issue in a special election next May. Also part of that package will be repair of the middle school tennis courts, which now are padlocked.
The school voted 5-0 to accept budget assumptions submitted Thursday evening.
