School's general funds expected to rise

The Brainerd School District's projected general fund balance for next school year is expected to grow by about $202,000 from the 2001-02 school year.

The district's Finance and Insurance Committee will recommend the school board adopt the proposed 2002-03 budget.

The general fund balance, which includes the capital expenditure budget, is estimated to increase from about $5.8 million to an estimated $6 million by the end of the 2003 fiscal year.

In the 2001-02 revised general fund budget, there is an estimated $51.4 million in revenue and $52.7 million in expenditures. The projected amount for the 2002-03 budget is an estimated $54.74 million in revenue and $54.63 in expenditures.

Expenditures in the food service budget are expected to increase from $2.66 million to $2.72 million for next school year.

District Business Manager Steve Dickinson said the board would have to increase food prices by about 20 percent to help offset costs in the food service budget.

Dickinson said the 2002-03 school budget was calculated on the existing enrollment and the base cost of the non-teacher contracts. No contracts have been negotiated at this time.