The Manhasset Board of Education presented a 2015-2016 fund balance update Thursday night, which showed a surplus of $300,000 attributed to changes in the staff and student mix, among other variables.
“On the expense side, we will spend less than what we budgeted,” said Rosemary Johnson, the district’s Superintendent for Business. “It’s projected that I’ll leave us at $1.3 million, but that number can change.”
“It’s a solid solid budget, and I don’t think people will object to it,” Johnson said. “We have $296K more on the revenue than we thought we would.”
Johnson said that health care and other contracts amid other factors are major drivers for school budgeting.
The district’s balance was “artificially” shifted through miscellaneous revenues such as final recoveries from Hurricane Sandy through the state Department of Homeland Security, and a temporarily reduced-cost health care contract.
Manhasset Secondary School has many students enrolled in Advanced Placement coursework and exams, which also must be budgeted for, as each exam costs nearly $100 in addition to proctoring, officials said.
The district also sends some students to outside school districts, such as Great Neck Village School, which can also cause a shift in the budget, as the students needs evolve.
“These are children, and children’s needs can change,” Johnson said.
The $1.3 million total projected fund balance will leave $595,120 dedicated to the 2016-2017 tax levy, officials said.
