By AARON MUELLER
Niles Daily Star

The Brandywine Community Schools Board of Education passed a budget at its meeting Monday night for the 2010-2011 school year that will see reductions to the athletic fund and food service.

The budget was approved by a 6-1 vote with trustee Mike Shelton voting against it.
Just months ago, Brandywine was facing a $1.4 million shortfall in the 2010-2011 school year budget.

But thanks to 10 retirements and some resignations, the cuts the district had to make were not as drastic. And Superintendent John Jarpe was able to bring back all but one of the 17 teachers laid off in late April because of it.

The estimated total expenses for 2010-11 equal $11.5 million, while the estimated revenue is about $11 million – about $1.1 million less than last year. So the district will have to use $586,752 from its fund balance to balance the budget, leaving about $2.3 million in fund equity.

Also, the athletic fund was reduced by $18,000 and the food service by $2,995.
Jarpe calls it “a conservative budget.”

“It was done in the anticipation of more budget cuts,” he said. “A worst case scenario.”
Jarpe said the budget was drafted anticipating an additional $268-per-pupil reduction from the state, something he said a lot of Michigan school districts are doing. If the state is able to avoid such a cut, then Brandywine will be able to make the appropriate budget amendments and “breathe easier,” according to Jarpe.

Still, Brandywine and many other districts in the state are waiting to see how the state budget will shake out.

“We are not out of the woods yet in terms of the state level funding,” Jarpe said. “The legislature and governor have a long way to go. They need to protect the school state aid fund.”

The Brandywine School Board approved the budget three days before the July 1 deadline for Michigan schools.