BUTLER TWP — The Joint Operating Committee of the Butler County Vo-Tech agreed Thursday to forward the $4.5 million proposed 2013-14 budget to school districts for their approval.

The proposed budget is about 4 percent higher than the 2012-13 budget. It includes level funding for all spending except for salary and benefit increases determined by union contracts, said Joe Cunningham, director.

Five of seven school boards and a majority of school board members must approve the budget. The districts represented on the JOC are Butler, Karns City, Mars, Moniteau, Seneca Valley, Slippery Rock and South Butler.

Vo-tech staff salaries are about $2 million, or 46 percent of the proposed budget, and will increase $45,643 if the budget is approved. Benefits are about $1.3 million or 29 percent of the proposed budget, and will increase $119,381 over 2012-13. Supplies would run about $500,000 for the year, about 11 percent of the budget and the same as in 2012-13.

Cunningham said he intends to raise health care costs for noncontract employees by way of higher deductibles in their health care plans starting July 1.

Each school district is billed monthly for students they send to the vo-tech under a formula that includes the assessed value of each district’s property and the number of juniors and seniors in each district.

If the proposed 2013-14 budget is approved, Mars and Slippery Rock school districts would see decreases from their 2012-13 bills, while other districts would see increases. Here is the breakdown under the proposed budget:

Butler — $1.29 million, up $21,626

Karns City — $300,771, up $15,251

Mars — $142,638, down $10,494

Moniteau — $295,265, up $9,294

Seneca Valley — $509,116, up $76,148

Slippery Rock — $302,131, down $19,088

South Butler — $394,396, up $17,658

The school also anticipates revenues from adult evening classes, interest and state funding of its portion of the vo-tech’s Social Security and pension payments. However, the federal sequester, an across-the-board budget cut, will slice $15,000, or 5 percent, from its Perkins allocation, which will fall from an anticipated $291,226 to $276,226.

The Perkins Act provides federal money to help states develop vocational and technical education programs.

With budgets tightening at federal, state and district levels, JOC members are seeking a more robust budget process. The JOC tabled the budget at its February meeting and requested a more detailed, line item budget.

James Nickel, a Seneca Valley representative, Thursday requested a more in-depth process to examine the budget more closely. He said he was uncertain he would support the 2013-14 budget.

The vo-tech budget is developed conservatively, with a “worst case scenario” in mind. At the end of each school year, excess funds are returned to the school districts because the vo-tech is required to end with a zero balance.

In 2011-12, for example, about $325,000 was returned to the school districts. Nickel would like to see that amount reduced.

The JOC also approved increases Thursday to facility rental fees for businesses. Classroom rental fees will increase from $30 to $100 per day, conference room rental fees will increase from $60 to $200 per day, and lab facilities will run $250 per day, using vo-tech instructors.