GHAPS adds to 2007-08 fund balance
Tue, May 20, 2008 
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BY BETH HEINEN BELL
bbell@grandhaventribune.com
Despite challenging economic times, Grand Haven Area Public Schools is planning to add to its fund balance for the current 2007-08 fiscal year.
Director of Business Services Donna Bylenga presented the final budget amendment proposal to the board of education Monday night.
Although the board adopted a budget last June that showed a year-end deficit in the district's cash reserves, the recalculated figures seen Monday night mean GHAPS will be able to add $492,356 to that balance.
The additional revenue leaves GHAPS with a total estimated fund balance of $8,473,812 — or 15.4 percent of the district's expenditures.
School districts maintain fund balances in part to help generate extra funds through interest rates. Some of the balance is also used to cover payroll and operating costs at the beginning of the school year.
"The fund balance is there for uncertain times and an uncertain future," said Bylenga. "It's been a hard battle to get to here, but I feel like we're in good shape with this."
Bylenga attributed the additional revenues to back property taxes the district received from the now-defunct Asimco plant. In March, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Detroit awarded GHAPS and six other local entities their share of the delinquent taxes.
"That was money we had written off that we would not get," said Bylenga. "If we hadn't gotten those taxes back, we would have had to take money out of the balance."
The amended budget figures are based on a blended pupil count of 5,999 — a decrease of just one student since the fall. The budget also factors in a per-pupil state aid of $7,603, and interest rates at approximately 3.5 percent.
Bylenga told board members she was pleased with how the numbers came out.
"We've really tried to keep our expenditures in the classroom, because that's what's most important," she said. "We're keeping the money where we want to keep it."
After reviewing the information, Superintendent Keith Konarska commended Bylenga for her work on the budget.
"For us to be able to add to the fund balance in tough economic times says a lot about how we're efficiently using our funds," said Konarska. "This is a tough job."
The board will be asked to approve the final budget amendment at its next meeting on June 2.
