(6/1) The Fairfield Area School District will be considering the adoption of its annual budget and proposed district tax rate at the board’s June 28 meeting.
The board voted to grant preliminary approval to the annual budget and tax rate following final discussions held at their May 24 meeting.
The district is proposing to increase the real estate tax millage rate from 11.0751 to 11.462 or 3.5 percent. "The potential new revenue, as a result of this increase, is estimated to be $347,213," according to the district. The adoption of the proposed rate will result in decreasing the proposed budget, with a $153,116.67 deficit to be moved from the fund balance.
The average cost of this increase to the median taxpayer within the district is anticipated to be $86.31 - if the rate is approved by the board at their June meeting.
The school board then voted to grant preliminary approval of the proposed 2021-2022 budget at the May meeting. The balanced district budget will be in the amount of $19,627,410, anticipated revenues equaling anticipated expenditures.
Revenue supporting the proposed budget is expected to be generated through the 11.4620-mills real estate tax increase, the earned-income tax rate of one percent, and an amusement tax rate of ten percent, as well as through subsidies, grants, and other revenue sources.
In other business at their May meeting, the board voted to award a contract for repairs to be made at the elementary and secondary schools to Detwiler Roofing, after the lowest bidder defaulted on their bid.
Buildings and Grounds Supervisor William Mooney said Reams, a roofing company, felt compelled to default - after realizing they had not taken all of the costs of the project into account before they had placed a bid on doing the proposed work.
Reams’ bid was the lowest, but the board was compelled by the defaulted offer to award the project to Detwiler Roofing in the amount of $692,000, which, it was noted, was some $100,000 higher than Reams’ bid.
At an upcoming meeting, the board will be discussing how the work will actually be funded. District Superintendent Michael Adamek stated that there were a number of options available to apply to the funding for the work.
