Olympia Fields
The Rich Township District 227 school board recently approved a 2000-2001 education fund budget of $32.4 million, up slightly from last year’s $32.2 million. The entire $47.2 million schools budget also includes $4.5 million for operations and maintenance, $1.9 million for bonds and interest, $2.1 million for transportation, $551,026 for Social Security and $4.6 million for sites and construction. Operations and maintenance expenses were higher than board members had hoped because electric and gas bills increased and because new phone and security systems were installed. Revenue in the education fund is slightly lower than expected because of a small dip in enrollment. New costs this year include $4.3 million for construction of an auditorium; salaries for new personnel; and funds for a summer reading program. The district expects to receive about $240,000 in federal grants and more than $354,000 in state grants. Wayne Mann, the district’s interim business manager, said budgeted revenue would be reduced by the amount of any grants that are not received.
Palos Heights
The Palos District 128 school board recently approved a budget for fiscal year 2000-2001 of $7.1 million that includes an education fund budget of $4.7 million. The district is anticipating $7.1 million in revenue, up 6 percent from last year. Expenditures will be up 10.5 percent from last year. Education fund revenue is expected to be about $3.9 million, up from $3.7 million last year, with expenditures of $4.7 million, up from $4.2 million last year. Bond and interest revenue has increased from $1.1 million to $1.4 million this year because of money received from impact fees from the Westgate Valley Estates subdivision. Board President Mark Staehlin said the district may issue bonds for renovation in the near future and will need to be more careful about “how we are using the working cash fund.” That fund will have a balance of about $2.5 million. Expenditures include addition of a full-time teacher and four teacher aides and raises for teachers, aides, administrators, psychologists and custodians and the insurance costs for them. Attorney fees, insurance and purchased services also have increased. Several state grants, although a source of revenue, require expenditures for staff, including stipends and textbooks.
Romeoville
The Valley View District 365-U school board recently adopted a $100 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget shows revenue of $99.7 million, and expenditures of $109.6 million. The apparent $10 million shortfall is because of several construction projects, including a new elementary school. The money for those projects is already in hand from the sale of bonds. About two-thirds of the district’s revenue comes from local taxes, with the rest coming from the state and federal government. The largest expense is salaries and benefits. Another big expense this year is construction, with spending of almost $14 million. District staff members have projected positive balances in all funds at the end of the fiscal year.
Tinley Park
Kirby School District 140 is beginning a feasibility study on implementing an all-day kindergarten program within two years, Supt. Arnold Drzonek said recently. Much of the study will focus on the cost of building six to eight new classrooms at Bannes and Keller Elementary Schools. The district will require help from the state’s construction grant program. If grant money is obtained in fall of 2001, then classrooms could be ready by the time the 2002 school year starts, Drzonek said. The district has been busy with construction in recent years. A new elementary school, Millennium, opened this year, and construction of classroom additions at Grissom and Prairie View Junior High Schools is under way. Officials had applied for grant money from the state this summer in hope of eventually adding on to Bannes and Keller. But the district received a low ranking on the state’s eligibility list, prompting school officials to look to next year.
