When: Manheim Central School Board Meeting, May 16.
What happened: The board approved a final budget proposal of $64.63 million for 2022-23 with a 3.4% tax increase, the highest amount allowed by the state without requesting an exception. The vote to approve the proposed budget passed 8-0; Board Chairman Mike Clair was absent.
What this means: The budget forecasts a deficit of $510,606 which will be balanced by drawing on the district’s reserves. A 3.4% tax hike would raise taxes for the median homeowner (a home valued at $196,800) by $101 per year, from $2,972 to $3,073.
Current year: Chief Financial Officer Bryan Howett said while a deficit of $235,447 was projected in this year’s budget, a surplus of $867,779 is now projected. The surplus is the result of an increase in the amount of earned income tax credit and real estate transfer tax received by the district as well as federal COVID-19 relief funding.
And after: The final adoption of the 2022-23 budget is scheduled for Monday, June 20.
Sports field : The council approved a $168,570 amendment to the agreement with Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson Architects for the design of sports fields. In November, the board approved a $398,600 agreement with Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson for design options for improving three baseball/softball fields. Two of the fields are adjacent to the college along Stiegel Valley Road and are known as Baron Fields. The other land is along Adele Avenue across from the High School and in Veterans Memorial Park. The new agreement adds a softball field and parking lot at Doe Run Elementary to the project.
The brigadiers: A $74,455 contract with All City Management Services for six school crossing guards for the 2022-2023 school year has been approved. Five of the brigadiers are located in the borough, and the borough of Manheim will pay half the cost of these five brigadiers. The sixth school crossing guard would be located at White Oak Road.
Extracurricular programming: Tracy Fasick, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, reported on upcoming after-school programs and summer programs to address learning loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said that from February 1 to May 14, more than 100 K-12 students participated in after-school programs; 73 participated in literacy groups and 45 participated in the Baron Connections program. She said the Barons Connection program aims to encourage social interaction. After-school programs were coordinated by Ken Funk.
Summer program: Fasick said there will also be several summer learning opportunities, including literacy and math reinforcement for elementary and middle school students, Baron Connections for middle school students, and credit recovery for students. of middle school and high school. There will also be additional opportunities for high school students, including a health care exploration summer camp, an aviation camp, a summer science training program, and a work experience program with Hershey Park. She said there will be a lot going on in the district this summer.
