Bottom Line: $35,048 in the Black

Dateline: Aug. 26, 2019

At the August 12th School Board meeting, the suspense about the 2018-2019 school budget deficit ended (for those of you who were sitting on the edge of your seat) when it was reported that the school budget narrowly swung from a large deficit to a small surplus. In effect, if the "unanticipated revenue" had not appeared, there would have been a
deficit of $132,188 ($52,188 budget deficit +
$80,000 going to four trust funds). The board then decided to
hang onto the $35,000 remainder.

As a reminder the 2019-2020 school budget approved this March is $10,445,548 compared to the $9,981,555 default budget for 2018-2019.

The following description is an excerpt
from the August 12, 2019 draft School Board minutes.

"Ms. Wheeler reported she closed the books for Allenstown today. We have $167,236 in unanticipated revenue. We have a deficit of $52,188 in expenditures/appropriations. This leaves a $115,048 surplus before funding voted warrant articles. She explained we received more revenue than anticipated under homeless transportation, Medicaid, IDEA, Kindergarten aid, adequacy grant, and we had a student that paid tuition.

"She reported we ended the year with a surplus of $115,048. She explained we do not need to borrow from the trust funds for expenditures. We have $80,000 for voted warrant articles with $20,000 to the Technology Trust Fund, $20,000 to the High School Tuition Trust Fund, $20,000 to the Building Maintenance Trust Fund, and $20,000 to the Special Education Trust Fund.

"This will leave a surplus balance of $35,048. Discussion ensued regarding retainage and/or returning the balance to the town. Ms. Raymond reported $50,000 retainage from the prior year is going back to the town. Ms. Wheeler explained if we retain the $35,048, we can only use these funds in a deficit/emergency situation and trust funds would need to be used first before any retainage. Discussion ensued ...

"A motion was made by Ms. Jody Moore to retain the balance remaining after all warrant articles are funded. The motion was seconded by Ms. Venegas. Discussion ensued. All were in favor. The motion passed." [Emphasis in the original text.]

What You Can Do

You should contact your state rep. and state senator and ask them to resolve the state budget stalemate between the legislature and Governor Sununu. The state is still operating on a "continuing resolution" which means the issue of state aid for school districts is still undecided.

At the Aug. 26 Selectmen's meeting, School Board Chair Kris Raymond said she was going to the public hearing on school funding to be held on Thursday Aug. 29 at the State House. She was going to urge the legislature to pass a budget that adequately funds public schools.