The ROWVA School District 208 Board of Education approved the fiscal year 2018/19 budget at Monday night’s meeting.
Superintendent Joe Sornberger says that this years budget is showing a deficit due to some early revenues the district received in FY 2017/18.
“[A deficit] around $400,000, and the reason for that is the ROWVA school district does not count early tax money. So last year we received early tax money that would go into this fiscal cycle. We didn’t count it twice, so there’s a gap in revenue.”
The District received early tax revenue to the tune of $307,000 in May and June, which showed up in the FY 18 budget. Sornberger added that the district has the money in the bank, but for budgeting purposes he doesn’t count it twice.
Also at last night’s meeting board members heard information regarding a future proposal for solar panels in a field adjacent to the district’s property.
Sornberger tells WGIL that Clean Energy Design Group approached the district about supplying energy – if the project was to get completed.
“Just some basic data for us so far. We’re looking at a rate that would be lower than what we currently are at, and over a 20 year period projected [to be] over a million dollars [in] savings for the ROWVA school district. But until it gets approved, until we can take the next step, it’s just numbers on paper right now.”
He added that the project would still need state approval, funding grants and more before it would get to that point.
Sornberger also said the district approved a $10,000 grant from Monsanto as part of the America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program – which supplies grants for science, technology, engineering and math programs or STEM programs.
The grant is the Next Generation of Great Innovators grant, and Sornberger says it will go towards the district’s chemistry lab.
Sornberger says on Thursday night at 7:00 there will be a presentation of the check to the district.
