GSL School Board approves 2016-17 preliminary budget

Glencoe-Silver Lake Business Manager Michelle Sander presented the preliminary 2016-2017 budget to the School Board Monday night.
The district is required to approve a preliminary budget by the beginning of the fiscal year in July. Sander meets with the directors of different areas and looks at budget and expenses to create the preliminary budget. Revisions will be made as the year continues.
The preliminary fund balance has a revenue of $17,592,002 and expenditures of $17,918,019.
Looking two years out, Sander said the fund balance will be about 21 percent.
“We’re sitting in really good financial shape, so I’m really comfortable with that,” she said.
The board approved the preliminary budget.
In other business, the School Board:
• Approved the job description for the two full-time lead elementary Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teachers. The motion passed 3-2, with Board Members Kevin Kuester and Jamie Alsleben voting no. Alsleben said he would prefer if the School Board received the job descriptions before approving the position.
• Approved changes to the meal prices for 2016-2017. Meal prices will increase 10 cents, making kindergarten through sixth-grade lunch $2.50, seventh- through 12th-grade lunch $2.70 and adult lunch $3.70. Milk and snack cart prices will stay the same and breakfast will continue to be free. Sander explained the increases are still part of the required increase at the federal level.

For more from the meeting, see the June 15 print edition of The Chronicle.