Although some additional revenue is expected to find its way into the Avonworth School District’s 2011-12 budget, officials are being advised to remain cautious with expenditures as they vote next Monday on a final spending plan that includes no property tax millage rate increase.

The public hearing on the proposed budget, held prior to the school board’s work session last Monday, was a non-event, with no one from the public having any comments or questions.

Director of fiscal management Brad Waters told the board that three changes had been made to the proposed budget that was approved on May 9. The estimated expenditures are going to be reduced by $39,000, he said, because the district was eligible to participate in a co-op to purchase Microsoft server products at a reduced price.

Secondly, due to legislation pending in the state legislature, some funding that had been cut from the state budget is now likely to be restored, Waters said. He said that Avonworth is likely to be returned to its 2008-09 funding levels, which will add $135,000 to the district's projected revenue.

Waters said that the legislature also is expected to restore a subsidy that reimbursed districts for half of their required payments to Social Security for employees. This will add an additional $126,000 to Avonworth’s revenue

Board member Marybeth Sommers asked if any cuts made by the board could be restored. Waters and superintendent Dr. Valerie McDonald recommended that the board take a conservative approach for now. McDonald noted that there are financial hurdles, such as increased contributions to the public employees' pension fund, that will have to be faced in the next few years.

Treasurer Frank Mucha pointed out that Avonworth still does not have a balanced budget in terms of next year’s expenses being met purely through revenue received during that period. Instead, reserve funds will be used to make up the difference.

The amount of the reserve funds needed, however, has been reduced by the latest budget changes. Waters said that a projected reserve fund transfer of approximately $396,000 is included in the 2011-12 budget.