The Salisbury Township School District operations committee met March 6 to discuss a budget shortfall and proposed summer projects to be completed.

The board analyzed the proposed 2016-2017 budget of $37,207,260 and listened to suggestions by Business Administrator Robert Bruchak for closing the $1,421,612 gap.

“We are looking at a transportation reduction,” Bruchak said. “We do not receive any reimbursement from the state if a student lives a mile and a half away from the elementary school or two miles from a secondary school.” He said over 400 students are transported within a mile and a half from the elementary buildings.

Bruchak said 16 years ago, the school district received $460,000 in reimbursement from the state for transportation costs. Currently, the district receives $500,000. “For every dollar we spend, we get 25 cents from the state,” Bruchak said.

Board member Sam DeFrank suggested consolidating bus stops. Board member Joseph Gnall wants to see a map of bus transportation and said, “safety is a huge factor.”

Bruchak said as per the contract with Paragon which ends in 2022, the district can only go down by three buses in 10 years and one bus has already been eliminated. He said eliminating a bus would save between $90,000 and $135,000.

“Are there any other areas to cut such as operating the buildings, cutting expenses, reducing the cost of trash removal, etc.?” Board member George Gatanis asked.

Gnall asked if the administration could look at ways to increase revenue rather than just thinking about cuts.

“There is so much money we don’t have control over such as salaries, charter school tuition, transportation costs and pension costs,” Board member Mary Ziegler said.

“The state is not keeping up with salaries and benefits,” Board President Frank Frankenfield said. “I don’t know where to get the money. It is not coming from the state or federal government.”

The board tentatively decided to use $400,000 of fund balance, $100,000 of the pension stabilization fund and said $900,000 would have to come from an increase in taxes and cuts by the school district.

Bruchak said if the board raised taxes by 2.5 percent, it would generate $581,260. A total of $300,000 to $350,000 of expenses would need to be cut.

Administrators were charged with determining how they would make those cuts.

Superintendent Dr. Randy Ziegenfuss said administration is currently looking at regular and special education staffing. In addition, they are looking at contracts which could be re-negotiated.

Bruchak said a request for proposal was sent out to outsource food service in the district with a bid opening in April. If approved, the district would bring in the food service company in May to lower the district’s loss. Currently, there is a $100,000 loss in food service.

Following the budget discussion, Director of Facilities, Safety and Security William Brackett presented proposed summer projects at a total cost of $238,000. These projects include the redesign of the Salisbury Middle School main office including updated furniture design and flooring for $20,000, the replacement and update of security access for $150,000, new flooring at Harry S Truman Elementary School for $32,000 and an update of the wireless infrastructure for $36,000.

An additional expense would be the request from SMS Principal Ken Parliman for middle school furniture for six or seven classrooms at a projected cost of $110,000.

Bruchak said money from the capital reserve account could be used for the projects and the board asked Brackett to prioritize the list.

No decision was made on the projects.

Ziegler asked Brackett for a list of additional upcoming capital projects.

Brackett said the high school gym roof is coming out of warranty, the roof over the garage at the snack bar should be replaced, the high school track will need to be redone in three to four years and in about 10 years, the HVAC system at the middle school will need to be replaced. Brackett said he would compile an updated project list for the next operations meeting.

In other business, Brackett said the district has entered into an agreement with Southern Lehigh High School to use the gym if an evacuation of schools was necessary on the eastern side of Salisbury. The district is working on an agreement with Muhlenberg College to use that facility to evacuate students on the western side of Salisbury.

The committee also reviewed the following policies which will be placed on the March 15 agenda for approval: Policy 3.1.7 - Class Rank, Policy 3.2.2 - Curriculum Review by Parents and Students, Policy 3.2.3 - Adoption of Planned Courses of Study, Policy 3.2.4 - Adoption of Textbooks, Policy 3.2.5 - Instructional Supplies, Policy 3.3.1 - Instruction Regarding HIV, Policy 3.4.3 - Career and Technical Education and Policy 3.4.4 - Adult Education.

The next operations committee meeting will be 7 p.m. April 3 at the administration building, 1140 Salisbury Road, Allentown.