North Hills Adopts 2011-12 School Budget 6-3

North Hills School District Board of Directors adopted a $66.7 million budget with a 6-3 vote during the continuation of a special budget meeting Monday.

The adoption followed a 4-4 deadlock June 6 when board members failed to approve a final 2011-12 budget but raised real estate taxes 1-mill to 20.91 mills.

On Monday school Directors Edward Wielgus, Thomas Kelly, Robert Barto, Timothy Burnett, Sharon Schrim and Arlene Bender supported the final budget. Jeff Meyer, Lou Nudi and Kathy Reid opposed it.

The final budget will be available for public review on the school district's website, www.nhsd.net.

Despite voting for the budget, Wielgus said the 2011-12 budget was a challenge.

“This is by far the most difficult budget I have experienced since being on the board. We may agree with what we are doing, but I don’t think anyone likes this budget,” said Wielgus, board president. “I don’t expect anyone to applaud this budget. But this is the best we can do given the circumstances.”

The spending plan cuts 25 of 29 retiring teacher positions and slashes operating expenses $815,019. It also expands the district’s Online Academy to junior high and elementary levels and funds the start of elementary math and junior high reading curriculum revisions.

District officials balanced the budget despite an expected loss of $1,710,383 in state and federal funds.

Those losses necessitated sacrifices, said Bender, who switched her vote from June 6 to approve the budget Monday.

“I believe this is a fluid document. I am asking (North Hills staff members) that if there is a problem large enough that our students are being hurt, please come to us.”

Final budget numbers stayed the same throughout proposed and final stages, but small shifts will be made to support staff positions following an early retirement incentive. Some positions will be combined and responsibilities shifted. More information will be made available once details are finalized, district administration said.

The millage increase, which coincides with the budget’s start July 1, will raise tax bills on the average $109,000 North Hills property roughly $9 a month.