Brunswick Schools approves appropriation and spending plan for fiscal year 2025

BRUNSWICK — The Brunswick Board of Education approved the appropriations and spending plan for fiscal year 2025 on Tuesday, which comprised approximately $138 million in total funds. Treasurer Mark Pepera said the appropriations and spending plan includes all funds the school district has, including the general fund and emergency fund, which goes toward daily operations as well as funds that have a specific purpose like construction or food service. The general fund is the district's largest fund with about $57 million appropriated. Approximately $30 million is allocated in the emergency levy fund and just over $26 million is in the schools' construction fund. About 65 percent of the district's revenue comes from taxes, just under 30 percent is state aid and a very small portion is sourced federally, Pepera said. The plan includes funding from the renewal levy on the ballot this November, but if it fails, the district will begin losing revenue in January. "Local taxes are a very critical component to what we receive on an annual basis," he said. When looking at the general fund, 83 percent of the budget goes toward personnel while the remaining 17 percent handles nonpersonnel items like supplies, utilities and services, Pepera said. Almost 57 percent of the budgeted funds focus on instruction, 41 percent goes to support services and there is a small percentage that goes to extracurricular activities. "We focus a majority of our dollars on instruction," he said. "We're committed to that." Last year, Brunswick Schools spent just under $12,000 per student, Pepera said. The state average is about $12,400 per pupil while the average spending per student in Medina County is approximately $12,700. "Ideally, we're being financially responsible, but we're also producing terrific output for performance, or we're seeing that from our students," he said. Pepera said the district's financial operations always ties back to the strategic plan, which directs him to develop short- and long-range plans for the schools. "I've always said, if we're spending money, and I have questions about that, a lot of times I'll say, how does that tie to our strategic plan?" he said. "Does it hit one of the areas we discussed? If the answer is yes, we obviously consider it. If the answer is no, we abandon that right away." Contact reporter Madisyn Woodring at (330) 721-4049 or mwoodring@medina-gazette.com.