Pandemic crimps Mars school budget
As the Mars Area School Board worked to approve a tentative 2020-21 budget, members learned of financial hits possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“There is a common misconception that school districts saved money due to the pandemic,” said Jill Swaney, district business manager. “Unfortunately, any savings were off-set by mandated and unexpected expenditures.”
During a virtual meeting Tuesday night on the $52.35 million proposed budget, Swaney updated members on the status of the district's 2019-20 budget and its potential to end on a somewhat grim financial note. She reminded the board Pennsylvania districts are required by “COVID legislation” to fully pay district workers who were employed as of March 13.
“We have had different groups of employees unable — through no fault of their own — to ... perform their jobs,” Swaney said. “But they have remained on the payroll at 100 percent due to this legislation.”
Spring sports athletic coaches are also covered under pandemic-induced legislation, according to Swaney. She said the cost to the district in this area has been about $114,000.
“The district did ask the coaches to volunteer to accept a reduced payment equal to the number of weeks they worked,” Swaney said. “However, their union immediately sent notice to the district, prohibiting the district from asking for a voluntary reduction and prohibiting the coaches from volunteering for a pay reduction.”
David Goodworth, a district varsity coach, was in attendance at the meeting.
He said coaching doesn't begin at the start of a season. Coaches work with athletes outside the season to prepare for practices and competitions, according to Goodworth.
“We don't just simply roll out a ball the first day of practice,” Goodworth said. “It's a round-the-year job.”
Swaney said the district is refunding district families for spring sports fees due to a shortened season. Additional high school student fees will also be refunded by the end of the academic year.
The district has incurred some savings in areas like transportation, according to Swaney.
Still, money the district may have saved this semester due to a lack of in-school operations went toward unexpected purchases, like personal protective equipment and retrofitting buildings with shields.
Locally, Swaney said the district is experiencing “shortfalls” in taxes due to pandemic-induced unemployment. These shortfalls are estimated at $650,000.
“Which we will not recoup in the (20)19-20 year,” Swaney said.
Swaney said Mars still aims to work through the last few weeks of this academic year.
“The district is continuing to monitor all expenses and work toward a balanced budget, in spite of COVID-19,” Swaney said.
