Southmoreland presents $35.55M draft budget, flags $223,949 shortfall and seeks state relief

The Southmoreland School District on Tuesday presented a proposed 2024–25 general fund budget of $35,552,250 and a projected beginning deficit of $223,948.93 as federal ESSER dollars expire and state aid remains uncertain. Business Manager Pam Zirri told the board the district used 2023–24 revenue assumptions and that salary, wages and benefits account for about 67% of expenditures.

"We have currently budgeted $35,552,250," Zirri said, adding that an inflation-adjusted figure for expenditures would be about $37,136,923.51. She noted the district received $550,000 of a $750,000 competitive grant intended for comprehensive mental health services for K–12, and urged board members to press legislators on cyber-charter funding reform and adequacy investments that could materially reduce the shortfall.

The presentation reviewed revenue changes: local effort accounted for 42.2% of revenue while the state share is projected near 51.8%. Zirri warned that multi-county rebalancing (the district spans counties) and a late state budget could change final allocations and said the administration had not budgeted capital expenditures in the draft.

Board members pressed for details on assumptions and possible offsets; one member noted the district had budgeted a 15% medical increase but was told current estimates may be nearer 12%, a change that could largely close the gap. Zirri told the board the district is one of the few in Westmoreland County to win the mental-health grant and that the $550,000 will be used for specialty mental-health counselors, social work services and POSITIVE BEHAVIOR interventions across schools.

On capital funding, administration presented a $4.57 million list of needed capital projects (chillers, roofs, stadium turf, auditorium lighting, bleacher repairs, sidewalks, vehicles). The board approved a motion to transfer $600,000 from the unassigned fund balance to an assigned capital fund to reserve money for large-ticket items. Administration said the assignment is intended to 'speak for' those projects rather than leave money uncommitted.

The board also approved a $50,000 contingency transfer to Buildings & Grounds for near-term repairs. Next steps the administration listed included finalizing medical rates, establishing multi-county rebalancing numbers in April, collective bargaining projections in May, and presenting a final proposed budget on May 21 with adoption expected June 24.

The district will continue to pursue state-level remedies, administration said; officials cautioned that several revenue items remain unknown until the state budget is finalized.