MATH TEACHER HONORED … Eighth grade math teacher Kyle Borer receives a certificate from Swanton School Board President Ben Remer for being recognized with a Best Practice Award for the Northwest Ohio Region from the Ohio Middle Level Association.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
A recently renewed tax levy will limit but not fully eliminate some level of deficit spending by the Swanton School District according to a five-year forecast delivered to the board at its November meeting.
According to the report, prepared by Treasurer Sheila Horseman, the school district ran a deficit of just under $200,000 in 2023 and is estimated to run a surplus of less than $1,000 in 2024.
Deficit spending is expected to reach roughly $346,000 in 2025 and $544,000 in 2026. If the 0.75 percent income tax levy renewal had not passed those deficits were estimated to reach $464,000 and $2 million.
Horseman said the estimates for future tax levy funding are back to fiscal year 2020 “pre-shut down” levels.
While total revenue from all sources between 2021 and 2026 have been or are estimated to stay relatively consistent, varying up and down between $14.9 million and $15.6 million, total expenditures which were $14.5 million in 2021 are expected to reach more than $16.2 million by 2026.
Chief among the increases in expenses are employee salaries, which are projected to climb from the roughly $7.86 million in 2023 to more than $8.8 million in 2024, and services and utilities, which are expected to climb from $2.4 million to $2.92 million.
Horseman said there are also questions regarding the potential impact of Ohio House Bill 187, also known as the “Ohio Homeowners Relief Act,” which would change the procedures currently used to determine property taxes by using the past three years of valuations instead of just one.
The bill was passed by the House in October and introduced in the Senate, where it must still pass a committee vote and a full Senate vote before it can be sent to Governor Mike DeWine.
The amount of state funding for the district has also remained flat through 2024 due to a decline in enrollment. Currently there are 1,128 students registered for 2024 compared to more than 1,150 from the end of 2020 through the end of 2022.
According to Horseman, the district currently has approximately 88 days’ worth of current cash on hand.
OTHER BUSINESS
The board approved the receipt of several large donations, including $10,000 from Timothy McQuade for the dugouts at the new baseball/softball fields and $5,000 from Farmers & Merchants State Bank for the project generally.
Eighth grade math teacher Kyle Borer was recognized with a board commendation certificate after having been recognized previously for receiving a Best Practice Award for the Northwest Ohio Region from the Ohio Middle Level Association.
The next board meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13.