The budget book came out during the Unionville-Chadds Ford School Board meeting on Monday night. But there was little discussion on the matter, and few numbers were given, only a current budget deficit.
Director of Finance Joe Deady said, “This does represent where the budget stands right now. We continue as an administration to work on the budget. It does show a current budgeted deficit of a little bit more than 400,000. That’s what we’re working on. Reducing that deficit over the next couple of weeks, I fully anticipate by the May 4 budget hearing that there will be enough changes that it would be a balanced budget.”
Deady and School Board Director Brian Schartz both said the budget book will be posted on the district’s website this week.
Other business
• There was some further discussion of the middle school project, but again, it was just a discussion with no voting taking place.
At the request oof Director Rashi Akki, Superintendent of Schools Tim Hoffman reminded the board of the five points he brought of last week: Act 34 compliance, having a construction manager or owners’ rep, the decision to replace the current middle school instead of renovating, why the project is being phased in over three phases, and what might a referendum look like.
Most of the points were discussed at length previously, but there was some further discussion about retaining a construction manager/owner’s rep. Hoffman eventually said the challenges to that are a matter of the timeline and the need to get out an RFP so possible respondents could look at the project.
• The board approved a 2027 International Club trip to South Africa and a 2028 trip to Japan.
• Joshua Leight, the current principal at Hillendale Elementary School, has been appointed to be the Director of Human Resources, and Rachel Lomas to Director of Pupil Services. Lomas will be paid $175,000, while Leight will get $181,000. The school board is now looking for a replacement for Leight at HES.
About Rich Schwartzman
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
