Braun
BROOKVILLE — Brookville Local Schools Treasurer Sam Braun informed the board of education the district finished the fiscal 2023 school year in the black.
“We beat our plan by about $300,000 and it’s mostly thanks to the revenue side,” Braun said.
Braun attributed the savings to the amount of interest the school district received.
“We ended up with $255,000 in interest income just in the general fund. The previous year it was about $7,000,” Braun said.
“It was a massive increase, partly because we moved money into investments in Start Ohio (State Treasury Asset Reserve of Ohio) and it’s also thanks to the high interest rates that have been set by the federal reserve to try to curb inflation,” Braun continued.
“When that happens you make a lot more on your investments,” Braun noted.
Braun also said the district received additional money from income tax funds collected in Brookville.
“On the expense side we came very close to what we projected for salaries and benefits,” Braun said.
“We went a little bit over in support expenses and that was because of the expense in the bus purchase the district ordered a couple years earlier,” Braun said.
“I’m pretty pleased with how the year ended up in terms of our financial plan. We’re in good position,” Braun said.
Braun indicated he was also pleased with the state of Ohio legislators.
“The state budget was good to us,” Braun said.
“In the state budget, they updated some of the inputs they used in the funding formula and because of that, we are getting almost a 20 percent increase in state foundation aid over a two-year period,” Braun said.
“It’s about an additional $1.2 million in fiscal year 2024 and an additional $500,000 in fiscal year 2025,” Braun noted.
“Those are significant numbers because we had been receiving somewhere around $8 million. That’s a big change for us,” Braun said.
Braun also pointed out the additional funds the district is receiving will delay the need for a levy.
“It will push back having to think about a levy probably until 2028 or thereabouts,” Braun said.
In business matters, the board of education approved the contracts of elementary school principal Shawn Thomas.
The board also approved the contract for Stephanie Hinds who is the district’s director of curriculum and instruction, professional development and instructional technology.
The contracts for Thomas and Hinds are from Aug. 1, 2024 to July 31, 2027.
The board also approved a contract for certified employee Beth Fullenkamp for the 2023-2024 school year.
The board granted Deron Brown a one-year limited contract as a high school science teacher for the 2023-2024 school year.
The board granted Jeremy McGhee an extended service contract for two days for the 2023-2024 school year.
The board accepted the resignation of intermediate school teacher Roberta Lenser, effective July 17.
The board accepted the resignation of paraprofessional Brooke Calhoun, effective July 31.
The board accepted the resignation of high school science teacher, SADD club advisor and science/ecology advisor LeeAnn Black, effective Aug. 1.
The board gave permission for the high school boys and girls basketball teams to travel to Knightstown, Ind., on Nov. 22.
Reach Terry Baver at [email protected].
