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District 181 board adopts 2012-13 budget after discussion and changes
Updated: November 5, 2012 6:09AM
BURR RIDGE
The board of Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 finally adopted its 2012-13 budget.
The vote to adopt the budget came Sept. 24, after the board held off on voting at one previous regular meeting and two special meetings at which approving the budget was on the agenda.
The delay in adopting the budget began at the Aug. 27 regular meeting when several board members said they wanted to see more specific line-item information for expenditures.
In the 2012-13 adopted budget, operating expenditures are 4.3 percent more than the 2011-12 actual expenditures. Total operating expenditures are budgeted at $57.1 million.
Operating revenues are projected to be $58.1 million, an increase of 1.2 percent over last year’s actual revenues. Operating transfers to the debt service fund of $1.1 million 16,will leave a net for 2012-13 of $3,200.
About 94 percent of the District 181’s revenue is expected to come from local sources, of which 97 percent will be from property taxes.
The bulk of the district’s expenses are from salaries, 68 percent; and employee benefits, 16 percent.
Several expected expenditures in the new budget were moved to contingency, as requested by the board, in an effort to keep tighter controls over those areas. The district will amend the budget in the spring of 2012-13 to reallocate the contingency line items based upon subsequent board action, said Gary Frisch, assistant superintendent for business and operations.
One of the contingency items, $100,000 of capital outlay for a pilot program that will provide 210 iPads to some third- and fourth-graders in the district, was approved Sept. 24 by the board
Also, the following budget items were moved to contingency, and in some cases reduced, to more closely match the expenditures for the same items in previous years: In-district travel of $3,500 moved to contingency; out-district travel of $62,700 moved to contingency; operations and maintenance mileage was reduced by $5,000 and moved to contingency; administrative professional development was reduced by $14,000 and moved to contingency; and officials for athletics were reduced by $1,500 and moved to contingency.
In addition, $25,000 for gifted transportation was moved to contingency, since the program is no longer transporting students between schools, Frisch said.
Board members Yvonne Mayer and Brendan Heneghan voted against adopting the 2012-13 financial document.
Mayer said she didn’t have confidence in the accuracy of information that was provided. Heneghan has questioned the level of expenses in several areas, including costs related to telephones, travel, consultants, technology equipment and supplies. ~.
