Dist. 158 remains cautious despite $2.4 million surplus

Seven months after Superintendent John Burkey described this year's funding as a "disaster," the Huntley Unit District 158 school board on Thursday approved a budget with a surplus of about $2.4 million.

Burkey's initial, grim forecast was the product of conservative budgeting and uncertain funding from the state.

The healthy surplus that is expected to materialize is the product of a massive infusion of federal dollars and deep cuts the district has made to building maintenance and technology.

Federal stimulus funds funneled through the state will result in an additional $2 million in state aid this year, District 158 projects.

Still, district leaders have not restored the cuts to maintenance and technology, saying that doing so would not be prudent.

"We need to maintain budgetary control," Comptroller Mark Altmayer said at Thursday's budget hearing. "We need to prepare ourself for fiscal year (2011)."

Aileen Seedorf was the only board member to vote against the budget. Don Drzal was not present.

"I do not agree with the way the (federal stimulus funds) were split," Seedorf said.

The budget includes about $800,000 in federal stimulus dollars that will be spent on new special education initiatives this year and another $800,000 in surplus dollars that district leaders have pledged to spend on new programs for special-needs students next year.

Seedorf has said she opposes that plan because it would allow the district to use the stimulus money outside special education if there is a shortfall next year.

All told, District 158 officials expect to spend $84.3 million this year, compared with about $86.7 million in revenue, district records show.

The cuts to maintenance and technology will help offset large, contractual increases in salaries and benefits, which will rise in cost from $53.8 million to $56.9 million, a 5.8-percent increase, documents show.

The district will post the final budget at d158.k12.il.us.