By Chris Fox
When the Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board held a regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 19 at the District 205 Center, Chris Whelton, the district’s assistant superintendent for finance and operations, gave a presentation about the district’s 2023-24 budget. He delivered similar remarks during a presentation about the tentative budget at the board’s regular meeting on July 25.
Whelton stated that the district budgeted to use $10.7 million in reserves from last year’s budget to invest in the district’s facilities and other expenses. Whelton said that because the district’s revenues were slightly higher than expected and expenses were slightly less than anticipated, the district was only required to use $4.8 million in reserves during the last fiscal year.
The district’s 2023-24 fiscal year ends on June 30, 2024.
Continuing his presentation, Whelton stated that about 90 percent of the district’s revenues come from local resources. His presentation noted that property taxes represent 83 percent of the district’s operating revenues. Whelton said that salaries and benefits typically account for about 80 percent of the district’s expenditures. But he said that higher transfers, including $4 million for summer capital projects, $7 million for additional scope in construction/renovation projects and $1.4 million for technology leases would lead to salaries and benefits accounting for about 67 percent of the district’s operating expenditures in its 2023-24 budget. Transfers will reportedly account for about 11.5 percent of the district’s 2023-24 operating expenditures.
Whelton said that the district is anticipating a large increase—more than 30 percent—in its health insurance renewal for the 2024 calendar year.
According to the district’s 2023-24 budget, the district will have 1,191.07 full-time equivalent positions, up from 1,174 in 2022-23. The district’s 2022-23 expenditures for salaries were about $86.5 million. In 2023-24, those expenditures are budgeted at about $90.4 million.
The district had 1,139.6 full-time equivalent positions in its 2020-21 fiscal year and 1,175.08 in its 2021-22 fiscal year. The district’s expenditures for salaries were about $80.6 million in 2020-21 and about $82.9 million in 2021-22.
The presentation stated that the district had an overall enrollment of 8,441 students during the 2013-14 school year. Its enrollment in the 2022-23 school year was 8,299. While overall enrollment declined from 2013-14 to 2022-23, the district’s English Learner students rose from 438 to 861 during that time.
The district had 630.44 total certified positions in 2013-14. There were 717.2 total certified positions in 2022-23.
The district ended its 2022-23 budget year with an operating fund balance of about $63.4 million. At the end of its 2023-24 budget year, the district is projecting to have an operating fund balance of about $55.49 million. Whelton said the district will end the 2023-24 budget year with adequate reserves.
The district’s 2023-24 budget projects revenues of about $157 million, expenditures of about $152.3 million, and transfers of about $12.7 million. In the 2022-23 budget year, revenues were nearly $150 million, while expenditures were about $142 million. Transfers were about $12.85 million. The district began the 2022-23 budget year with an operating fund balance of about $68.2 million.
Board member Kara Caforio stated that while the board watches its staffing figures, the needs of the district’s students have risen incredibly. Caforio said the board has a responsibility to meet the needs of the district’s students and help them to be more successful.
Before voting to approve the resolution adopting the district’s 2023-24 budget, board members voted 6-1 to pass of a policy regarding the district’s operating fund balance. Collins also cast the one vote against that policy, which calls for the district to maintain a certain amount at the balance’s lowest point of each year—May 31. Collins said the wording in the policy could be a lot better. The policy reportedly calls for the district to have a May 31 fund balance of at least 15 to 20 percent of its annual operating expenses. Collins said he didn’t understand why the district needed so much cash. He said the district’s revenue stream is predictable, and that a majority of its expenses are related to negotiated labor contracts.
More School Board meeting news can be found elsewhere in this issue.
