BELLWOOD — With the updated numbers and tax increase in the final 2025-26 budget, the Bellwood-Antis School District has cut its anticipated budget deficit to just more than $100,000, the lowest projected figure in nine years.

According to the budget approved during Tuesday’s school board meeting, the district is projecting $21,882,246 in total revenue to cover $21,985,053 in estimated expenses, leaving a deficit of $102,807.

In the preliminary budget adopted in May, higher anticipated expenses resulted in a deficit of $133,611.

Budget numbers can change throughout the duration of the process, even after preliminary adoption, as more accurate figures from district department heads are reported.

The 2025-26 budget includes a full Act 1 Index tax hike of 5.6% to increase district millage from 11.0879 to 11.7088.

The increase equates to an additional tax burden of $98.69 for district residents, based on an average estimated household value of $147,950.

During the board’s May meeting, Business Manager Greg Gates said that the budget assumes an unchanged contribution in both state and federal funding.

While the final budget adoption vote was unanimous Tuesday, the subsequent motion to adopt the new property tax rate passed with two no votes from board members Seth Sager and Matt Gibbons.

Ahead of the vote, Sager questioned the decision to adopt tax hikes for each of the four years he has sat on the board.

Sager also praised the board’s “hard work” in putting together the budget and in setting aside money for long-term repair projects like the high school track and stadium lighting.

Board President Kathy Burch echoed Sager’s later comments, adding that the move toward longer-term planning during the budget process is a relatively new development during her tenure.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” Burch said.

Ag program closure

Citing declining program enrollment, the board unanimously voted to end the district’s Future Farmers of America program.

According to Superintendent Edward DiSabato, only 45 students had signed up during the current 2024-25 school year, saying that the district regularly reviews course and program offerings in regards to enrollment.

“There were fewer and fewer students and the class size was unfunctional to continue support for the program,” he said.

The district has explored alternative options for agriculture-focused educational offerings for students, according to DiSabato, but said that he had nothing to preview or announce at the time.

Closing the FFA program will realize a cost savings for the district, but DiSabato said he was unsure of the exact amount.

DiSabato said that some of the cost savings from the FFA closure will go toward the creation of a new K-12 librarian position that was authorized later in the meeting.

Other business

Speaking on behalf of the Bellwood-Antis Education Association, Drew Moyer said that there remains a “significant gap” between the union and the district in ongoing negotiations for a new contract for the union that represents Bellwood-Antis teachers.

It is time to move past empty words offered during teachers’ appreciation events and open district coffers to properly compensate district teachers, who are leaving the district in increasing numbers due to low pay, Moyer said.

The union is willing to meet again with the district in July to continue contract discussions, according to Moyer.

DiSabato said the district is willing to continue with the negotiation process, and that the current contract will remain in effect if a new deal is not struck before the start of the 2025-26 school year.

Mirror Staff Writer Conner Goetz is at 814-946-7535.