TYRONE — The final 2026-27 general fund budget with a 4.9% increase in millage was approved during the Tyrone Area School Board’s regular session Tuesday, along with the hiring of Derrick Soellner as the district’s new business administrator.

The budget’s total revenues are set at $31.1 million, and expenditures total $31.9 million, leaving the district with an overall deficit of about $885,765.

Total expenditures were up $18,507 from what was proposed in May. Outgoing business administrator Faith Swanson said the reason is because a collective bargaining agreement the board also approved Tuesday between the district and the Tyrone Area Education Support Professionals Association included wage increases that are effective July 1 and were not included in the original proposed budget.

There was also a decrease in health insurance costs by 3% of what the district had budgeted, Swanson said.

The district’s revenues were down $126,622 from what was proposed in May, which Swanson said was due to some “actual numbers” the district adjusted from the proposed final budget in May to the final budget in June.

The final budget was approved unanimously, with board member Gunter Volders absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

With the tax increase, tax levies on real estate within the school district will be set at 8.27 mills in Blair County, an increase of 0.09 mills; 31.83 mills in Centre County, an increase of 0.67 mills; and 62.15 mills in Huntingdon County, an increase of 7.76 mills.

In Blair County, tax on a $100,000 property would be $431.76 for those who’ve qualified for the Homestead/Farmstead tax relief exclusion and $709.57 without the exclusion, Swanson said.

In Centre County, tax on a $100,000 property would be about $266.48 for those who qualify for the exclusion and $544.29 for those who don’t qualify, Swanson said.

In Huntingdon County, the only county to reach the full Act I Index this year, Swanson said tax on a $100,000 property would be about $504.04 with the exclusion and $781.85 without the exclusion.

In other business, the board approved Soellner’s contract for the business administrator position, effective July 1. The board also approved a contract with Swanson to allow her to provide transition support for Soellner at a rate of $45 per hour, not to exceed 40 hours.

Soellner, a 2005 Tyrone Area graduate, left the area for about 11 years after graduation and attended Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he earned a master’s degree in business administration.

Before returning to the district as a business teacher about five years ago, Soellner worked as a general manager for a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in North Carolina. He was also a director in the Center for Student Success at Methodist University for about 10 years.

When the business administrator position became available, Soellner said he jumped at the opportunity to see whether he could get it.

“I’m really excited about the position,” Soellner said. “Obviously, I live here (and) my kids go to school here, so I have a passion for the district. I really want to see it grow. I want to see it do the right things moving forward.”

Soellner said he believes the district as a whole is heading in the right direction and doesn’t have any immediate plans to change anything. He plans to spend the first couple years getting his feet wet in the position and understanding the job as a whole, he said.

Soellner will also take over as the board’s secretary in July. There will be a combined work and regular session meeting held about 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, in the Tyrone Area School District administration suite’s board meeting room, 701 Clay Ave.

The board met in executive session immediately following Tuesday’s meeting for the presentation of the district’s annual school safety report, board President Rose Black said.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.