A preliminary budget for 2010-11 was approved last week by the Park County School District No. 1 board.Mary Jo Lewis, coordinator of business services for District No. 1, presented the budget based on preliminary figures. The new budget is based on anticipated revenues of $22,340,906 — an increase of more than $433,000 over this year's anticipated revenue.

Lewis noted that anticipated property taxes are down by more than $2.3 million, and the district also anticipates less interest income.

Lewis said it is likely those numbers will change as the county assessor reports property valuation.

Because state law guarantees school funding based on a formula, the lower income will be balanced by revenue from state funds. Lewis said final figures on the district's guaranteed funds have not been received yet. There is a slight increase in the district's average dailymembership of five students for next year, but Lewis said the Legislature provided no external cost adjustments in this year's state support, so the district's funding is essentially flat.

The district anticipates finishing this year with a cash reserve of more than $5.5 million, an increase of just under $160,000 from one year ago.

The preliminary budget proposes expenditures of $22,340,905, approximately $200,000 more than last year.

The district anticipates saving approximately $106,000 in utility costs due to the planned demolition of the natatorium/auditorium and the abandonment of parts of the old high school. The changes also allow the custodial staff to be reduced by the equivalent of 1.6 positions.

In addition, two teachers who are leaving PHS won't be replaced, saving more than $150,000.

Increased expenditures include contributions to the Powell Aquatic Center for use of the facility for teams and classes, compensating for a decrease in state support for instructional facilitators and increased tuition costs at the Shoshone Learning Center, which pays for correspondence courses taken by its students. Other increases will be in salaries and health insurance costs.

Lewis said that, if the district spends 100 percent of the budgeted expenditures, it will reduce the district's cash reserve by $190,000, but she said the district traditionally does not spend all the budgeted funds. She anticipates that the district will spend only 97.48 percent of this year's budgeted funds by June 30, 2010.