Moniteau preps budget, looks for ‘cost-saving measures’
CHERRY TWP — Moniteau School District’s board anticipates approving a preliminary general budget for the 2026-27 school year at its next meeting on May 11.
Austin Blauser, the district’s business manager, and the school board were unable to provide projected numbers for the budget at the board’s Monday, April 27, meeting. District personnel plan to present some of its cost-saving proposals at a May 5 finance meeting at 5 p.m.
“I’m not going to give out any specific numbers at this point. But we’ve definitely been working on it, looking for any cost-saving measures that we can,” Blauser said. “We’re still dealing with the fallout of ESSER money going away. That’s definitely had a large impact on us overall.”
Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding for schools wrapped up a couple years ago following the COVID-19 pandemic and the school is still feeling the impact of not having those funds, Blauser said. He also said interest rates being lower than the past couple years is affecting the district on the revenue side.
According to Moniteau’s financial reports as of March 31, the district currently has a total general fund of $8.81 million, most of which is held in a money-market fund with First National Bank.
Moniteau’s budget for 2025-26 was about $26.5 million, passed without a tax increase last summer. At the time, its deficit sat at $2.45 million, with the district reaching into the fund balance to cover it.
Over the past school year, Moniteau’s board has been vocal over multiple issues creating financial stress for itself and other districts. This included the state budget impasse lasting nearly four months and delaying district revenue. It also included public funds going toward covering cyber charter tuition without newer regulations at the time.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has already passed a budget proposal for the 2026-27 fiscal year, but uncertainty remains over whether it will get finalized.
“It’s definitely something you have to keep in the back of your mind,” Blauser said. “I’ve only been here a short time but it hasn’t been on time since I’ve been here. Last year was obviously something that had a lot bigger of an impact. If it’s a couple weeks late, that’s one thing, and it doesn’t really (affect) our scheduled payments. But when it drags on a few months, we feel that.”
