Resident urges N. Lebanon school board to cut spending in 2026-27 budget

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The Northern Lebanon school board’s March 10 meeting was brief and included no action items beyond the consent agenda, with a member of the public using public comment to ask board members to cut spending before approving a 2026-27 budget.

In February, the board voted 5-4 to prepare the budget with a 4.2% increase‚ the maximum allowed under the district’s adjusted Act 1 Index. Board members Shen Kreiser, Benjamin Moyer, Martha Blough, and Troy William voted against the motion.

The approved motion did not set the next year’s tax rate. The board will vote on the proposed final budget in May and then adopt the final budget in June according to its posted budget calendar.

District resident Molly Lum spoke before the board to express her disagreement with the 4.2%, saying they should look into cutting spending.

She said there is $1.5 million being held by Bethel Township for the high school and middle school renovations, $800,000 being held by Bethel Township for the elementary school and field house, and approximately $50,000 being held by Swatara Township for other odds and ends.

Lum said district staff have requested an inspection and release of funds for the elementary school and field house, but there hasn’t been a request made for the middle and high school work due to “too many outstanding items.”

“That brings me to one of my questions,” Lum said. “Why are we starting new projects instead of finishing existing ones to free up some funds?”

She said the district could look at cheaper options for projects, such as repairs rather than replacements, when feasible.

Lum also mentioned the district’s list of “big ticket items” in the next budget. These included a second police officer and cutting half-day kindergarten, which would require an extra teacher and money to furnish a classroom.

“I’m not arguing that these are bad options — I’m just wondering if the need is imminent,” she said.

Superintendent Gary Messinger said many of the items mentioned in Lum’s public comment are “wishlist items.”

“I said it publicly at a meeting that those are things that are brought up in isolation to look at,” he said after the meeting. “For instance, she mentioned the school police officer. Well, there’s potential legislation that would require school districts to have a police officer in each building, and if that’s the case, then we need to prepare from a budget standpoint to be able to hire that police officer.”

Messinger said some of the other things on the wishlist have already been decided against, and they were brainstormed ideas meant to address needs.

“To talk about those things as if they’re being considered, a couple of them are, but a lot of them are not,” he said.

The district’s business manager is still developing the budget, board president Barry Naum said after the meeting, and the board should have a draft in April for review.

In other business, the school board:

• Approved all consent agenda items listed, including cash disbursements, homebound instruction, field trip requests, employment, extension of leave, long-term substitutes, co-curricular advisers, tenure, retirements, and coaches.
• Heard a report that Lebanon County Career and Technology Center renovation conversations are still ongoing, and cosmetic changes will be voted on on Tuesday. Messinger said they hope to have more information in April.

The Northern Lebanon school board will meet next on April 7 at 6:30 p.m. for a committee meeting. The next regular board meeting will be on April 14 at 6:30 p.m. Meetings will be held in the Northern Lebanon District Office board room at 346 School Drive, Fredericksburg.