Driven by expected higher costs for health insurance and wages, the Montoursville Area School District could face a more than half-million-dollar deficit in next year’s budget.

School directors got a look at preliminary figures presented by Business Manager Jessica Reich at their most recent meeting.

The good news is that the coming year’s proposed state allocations for the district look to increase.

For basic education, the figure will be $8.5 million, an increase of $70,000, and for special education, the allocation is $1.5 million, up $30,000.

However, precise figures will not be known until the state budget is passed and signed into law by the governor.

Reich noted the district’s expected expenditures of $588,000 for wages and $453,000 for health insurance.

Regarding the higher costs for wages, Reich said, “We added in that new position for the curriculum director just to kind of see where our thoughts are as well as all of our bargaining agreement amounts and increases.”

District Superintendent Dan Taormina said higher health insurance costs are a concern.

“We can’t continue to take those hits,” he said.

In addition, he noted the district’s special education reimbursements simply do not keep pace with the district’s needs.

This year’s $35.8 million spending plan did not include a real estate tax increase.

So far, no tax hike has been proposed to help balance next year’s budget.

Reich told the board the budget, for now, is showing a deficit of $578,989.

In other matters, the board accepted the resignation of science teacher Morgan Solomon.

Taormina praised her work in the district.

In other personnel matters, the board approved:

· Jesse Walker, assistant football coach, $4,000 stipend.

· Josh Slocum and Andrew Paulhamus, volunteer football coaches.

· Alivia Mullner, guest teacher.

Montoursville resident Jack Callahan asked school officials about trophies he believes have been lost or misplaced.

Callahan has raised the question at previous board meetings, noting the athletic awards were formerly displayed at the high school.

Taormina said the plan is to gather all the awards on hand for display in the board room at the school directors’ March 24 meeting.

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