BY TOM FONTANA
Correspondent

Mountain View business manager Joseph Patchcoski offered the district directors a projected 2015-16 budget when they met Monday night, April 27.

“This is just an overview based on accumulated information that has been offered by the departments at the last few meetings,” Patchcoski cautioned. “There will be everlasting changes until its final approval.”

Patchcoski pointed out that expenses are “running about the same” as last year, but a pending teacher contract and retirement account increases are expected to bump up expenditures, rising to 21.4 percent from 16.93 percent in the 2014-15 budget.

He also warned the board that revenue will probably continue to drop. His summary showed revenue intake was down by almost 4 percent for the current school year, from $18 million in 2013-14 to $17.3 million.

“Everybody thinks this district is getting a tremendous amount of revenue,” he said, “but we’re not. Gas lease money allowed the district to add to its fund balance in the past, but that’s going down, and insurances, such as medical for employees, are increasing.”

The budget proposal projects expenses for the 2015-16 school year at $21.1 million, while revenue from taxes and government sources was estimated at $18.1 million.

“We’re way behind in revenue,” Patchcoski reiterated. “We’re safe for a year or two because of that fund account, but we won’t be adding anything to it during 2015-16.”

If approved by the board, a 2.4 percent proposed tax increase from 36.8 mills to 37.7 mills would give the district an additional $171,658 for the 2015-16 school year. Patchcoski offered a comparison to millage rates for other school districts in the county, ranging from the highest at 48.39 mills for Blue Ridge to the lowest at 38.87 mills in Forest City.

District maintenance director Robert Taylor told the board that there are still sporadic problems with the new phone system regarding receiving calls, and they are reported to NEP as they occur. Some teachers at the meeting stated that parents are not able to return their calls.

Taylor told them that their classroom phones will not take calls during the school day, and incoming calls automatically go to voice mail.

“If you want as parent to be able to reach you during your prep time,” he explained, “tell the office you are expecting the call, and the office can then put the all through to your classroom phone.”

Also, some elementary school teachers asked why they can’t enter the high school building by using the new fingerprint security system, as they do to enter the elementary building. District administrators, such as the two principals and coaches, are able to enter both buildings using the fingerprint system.

Taylor said the two buildings are on separate systems, and that any teacher who wants to have their fingerprint recorded for both buildings needs to set up an appointment with him to have their fingerprint submitted for the building they request.

High school principal Robert Presley announced that the spring band concert will be held on Thursday, May 7, and breakfast with the character Elsa from the Disney movie “Frozen” will be held Saturday, May 9, 9 to 11 a.m., to benefit the upcoming American Cancer Society Relay For Life event at the school set for Friday, May 29. Information for both events can be found on the district’s website at: mvsd.net.