Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Warren County School District board members unanimously approved a proposed final budget Monday night with no tax increase.

The proposed final budget is in.

On Monday, the school board approved the Warren County School District’s proposed final budget with no new taxes and $93,333,836 in expenditures.

The expenditure side of the budget reflects an increase of almost $7 million over the 2021-2022 school year.

The revenues are listed at $90,586,762.

The document is not final and may be modified. The final budget is due by the end of June.

Board President Paul Mangione explained the situation to new board members and the public. “It has to go on display at our buildings,” he said. “There are still changes that can be made to this document until its final passage.”

In addition to the next committee meetings, which will be held on May 23, the board has a regular meeting scheduled for June 13, and committee meetings set for June 27.

More sick days

The COVID pandemic has impacted people differently.

Some school district employees used more sick time over the past two years. Those who did not were often asked to cover additional assignments.

According to Superintendent Amy Stewart, the Warren County Education Association and the Warren County Education Support Professionals Association requested a memorandum of understanding “regarding labor conditions related to COVID.”

“Sick days seemed to be the largest pressure point,” Stewart said. “The board wanted to be equitable. Some missed more work than others.”

According to the memorandum approved Monday by the board, “each member of the bargaining units will receive four additional sick days to be added to their current allotment of sick days.”

While the agenda item calls for that agreement to apply to the members of the two unions, during the meeting Stewart said it would apply to all employees who receive sick days.

She said four sick days was determined to be the average number above normal that was used per employee.