Northwestern Lehigh School Board had a special session on May 7 to vote on the proposed final budget for the 2014-15 school year.

The spending plan is available at the school for viewing for 30 days.

During the month the proposed final budget is on view, the plan remains open for discussion with possible changes before the final vote in June.

Superintendent Mary Ann Wright said the board had been working on refining the budget since last November. Fuel, diesel fuel and salaries remain open for finalizing.

A millage increase is an option and was on the working document.

However the shortfall of $2,032,913 between the expenses of $39,391,617 and revenue of $37,358,704 is to be covered by $1,607,600 taken from the fund balance. This will leave $425,000 in the fund. Expenses are $2,092,702 higher than for the 2013-14 year.

Assistant Business Manager Christine Staf-ford said the interest rate on the Emmaus General Authority pool bond loan has decreased to 2 percent from 4 percent with a savings of $80,000.

Board member Phil Toll suggested the amount for professional development could be lowered but Stafford said it could not because it is grant money designated for that purpose.

School board member Ron Morrison said he would not vote for the document as long as it shows a millage increase.

Although the amount was in the working document in previous years, two lines were removed from that page as no millage increase is proposed. The working document, as posted, does not show an increase. It remains at 15.96 mills.

The budget maintains class size guidelines and the curriculum as in previous years, Wright said.

The version of the budget going to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, document 2028, is a summarized version of the complete budget.

The vote to accept the proposed final budget was unanimous with eight ayes and one absentee.