Public Invited to Review District 203 Budget

The public has a month to review budget for 2011-12 before a public hearing is held on June 20. At least 30 days must be allowed for the public to review the district’s budget.

The board voted Monday night to approve the resolution allowing the proposed budget to be made available to the public. Starting today, the budget will be available for review online, at the branches and at the district’s administration offices.

The proposed budget can be changed once the public meeting is held and comments are received, according to the district.

Dave Zager, the district’s chief finance officer said that there had not been any changes to the budget since the board last discussed the budget on May 2.

At that time, Zager explained that the district’s operating budget for 2011-12 will be $224 million and it will be balanced. Construction costs are $13.2 million and the district’s debt service is $3.6 million.

Zager said Monday night that every year the district budgets for a number of capital projects. The district has budget for about $7 million in school repairs and projects.

Because the district is doing preventative maintenance up front it is avoiding a having to seek a referendum in the future, Zager said.

Board President Mike Jaensch asked Zager what the expectation was in regard to state funding from Springfield.

“We are expecting a flat contribution this year,” Zager said. “With the house budget we might be a million below what we got last year.”

Zager said overall he expects that state funding will be less than what the district received last year.

In other matters, the board needed to re-visit the graduation dates for the Class of 2012 and the Class of 2013.

In January, the board approved its calendar for the next two years, but in February officials learned that AP testing dates would coincide with commencement, said Melanie Raczkiewicz, the district’s chief operating officer.

At its last meeting on May 2, the board considered Sunday graduation dates, but asked Raczkiewicz to try and come up with other options.

Graduation in 2012 will take place on Monday, May 21, with Tuesday May 22 set as the rain date. The rain date required the board to move its regular board meeting to Wednesday, May 23.

In 2013 graduation ceremonies will be held on Saturday, May 18 and the rain date will scheduled for Sunday, May 19.