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Since Gov. Tom Wolf's mandated closure of schools on March 13, Montoursville district administrators said they have saved more than $230,000 at its virtual board meeting Tuesday.
The original 2019-20 budget anticipated the district would run a deficit of $310,729. After the savings, the district may only run a deficit of $80,573, said Brandy N. Smith, business manager.
In all, $230,156 has been saved and the remaining deficit will spend down the district's $3.7 million fund balance to $3,662,167.
In the absence of students, the buildings haven't had to be heated or have the same amount of water run, among other things, which saved the district about $58,365
"The major one in this is our heating oil. Some years we can have as many as three deliveries for the heating oil. This year we've only had one," she said.
Support Services in general, which also includes some salaries, and employee benefits, as well as electric, garbage and sewer costs, decreased by $87,428.
A portion of the saved money also came from shuffling the district's debt service, said Smith.
"We refinanced on our previous borrowings, so our bond payments will be $3,472175 for the 2019-2020 budget, which is a decrease of $140,247 for the year," she said.
Local tax revenue is still anticipated to return $55,165 above the anticipated amount, which is now projected to total $16,737,795.
The largest portion of local revenue is real estate taxes, which makes up more than $11 million, are projected to come in at $29,275 more than what was budgeted. Earned income taxes too are projected to garner $30,500 more than anticipated.
However, the district's budgetary woes may yet continue, as board members plan to vote on whether to spend $426,000 to $550,000 on about 2,000 laptops and personnel to support those devices in a virtual special meeting at 6:30 p.m., Thursday.
A link to attend that meeting is available on the Montoursville School District website.
"That meeting will be to discuss the purchase of devices to be a one-to-one school district to get through not only the pandemic but to plan for a future, and to plan on creating a cyber academy within our school district," said Christina Bason, superintendent.
In other business the board approved of Montoursville Area High School summer programs. The six-week programs run virtually from June 12 to July 24.
All members were present.
The next regularly scheduled meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., May 12 where the board will hear more on the budget and the further results of their feasibility study aimed at refurbishing infrastructure.