Faced with rising costs and upcoming expenditures, the Bermudian Springs school board approved a 4.7% tax increase on Tuesday evening.
The increase meets the Act One Index for the district and was one of three scenarios up for consideration during the meeting.
Before voting, the board heard a final budget report from business manager Justin Peart, who presented each scenario.
Peart showed the board the tax increases made since the Act One Index was introduced in 2006-07, adding that the board has not gone to the increase in the past four years.
A cyber/charter school cost analysis showed the steeply rising costs for the district; in 2025-26, 130 students were enrolled in cyber/charter school with a total cost per year of $2,259,524. Since 2018-19, the district has paid a total cost of $13,406,810.51 for cyber/charter students.
Also included in the presentation was a projection of 2026-27 revenues and expenditures built using the 4.7% tax increase (Act 1 Index) approved in the preliminary budget in May. To balance the budget, Peart used a fund balance sum of $2,125,659.
Local revenues make up over half of the budget, putting pressure on the district to close financial gaps. According to Peart, almost 65% of the budget is benefits and salaries for staff and faculty.
Finally, Peart showed the budget options and how each affects the average property owner at the different considered rate increases.
A slide showing the 2026-27 fund balance summary options showed the affects of options A (a 4.7% increase), B (a 3.525% increase) and C (a 2.35% increase) on the district’s fund balance.
Opting for the Act One Index amount of 4.7% left the district pulling $786,181 for 2025-26 and $2,125,659 for 2026-27, leaving $3.8 million in the bank.
Opting for option B with a tax increase of 3.525% took a higher amount out of the fund balance for 2026-27, leaving $3.6 million in the accounts, while option C with a 2.35% tax increase left $3.4 million.
Peart showed the board a three-year budget summary predicting what the beginning and the end fund balances could be for 2027-28, 2028-29 and 2029-30.
Peart regularly includes the summary as part of his annual budget presentations, always adding a cautionary note for board directors to realize long-term projections grow hazy due to changes at the local, state and federal levels.
This year, each of the three tax increase options are projected to leave significant budget shortfalls. Option A was the only scenario that left savings – $283,208 – at the end of 2027-28, with the other two leaving the board with negative fund balances of -$83,884 with option B and -$450,978 with option C.
The projections show budget shortfalls ranging from $5 million to $5.4 million by the start of 2028-29, with negative fund balances of -$4,803,056 by the end of 2028-29 with option A, -$5,360,605 with option B, and -$5,918,157 with option C.
The projections only grow more dire for 2029-30, with anticipated negative fund balances ranging from -$11.5 million to -$13 million by the end of the year.
Peart reminded the board that while the budget technically includes two votes – one vote for the expenditures and revenues and one vote for the tax increase – board members should vote for the millage rate that corresponds with the revenue amount they vote for.
No board members had any questions during the budget presentation.
Board president Daniel Cubb spoke in favor of the highest tax increase.
“The reason why I think option A is probably the best option for this school district this time, there’s a lot of things on the horizon that are going to come in the near future as far as supporting later on in the agenda,” Chubb said. “We’re going to see ACTI (Adams County Technical Institute) with that resolution and moving forward with property and stuff like that. There’s also some things with some of the high school building infrastructure stuff that’s going to come up that needs attention.”
Assistant board secretary Mary Kemper agreed.
“Nobody ever wants to raise taxes, especially in today’s society – everything costs more – but I just feel like we have to, especially with ACTI and other stuff coming down the road,” Kemper said. “I don’t think there’s any way around it.”
Board secretary Jennifer Goldhahn pointed to a lack of state funding as the reason she would vote for the increase.
“We really don’t have much of a choice, especially with everything coming up that everybody else just pointed out,” Goldhahn said.
The board voted 8-1 to approve the increase, with board member Chad Klinedinst voting against it.
“I know it’s a lot to consider and everything like that, so thanks for putting the time in,” Chubb said. “I know there’s a lot that goes into it and a lot of thinking and talking to different individuals in the community, teachers and everything like that. So thank you again for all your hard work.”
Retirees celebrated, Myers resigning
In his superintendent’s report, Dr. Brad Sterner praised the district’s new way of celebrating retirees this year.
Sterner said the district had a larger-than-average amount of retirees this year due to an early retirement incentive. In the past, Sterner said building principals would speak and retirees would receive a gift.
This year, the district had the “Retirement Class of 2026” go the front of the auditorium, where videos of the retirees played with narrations from past and present students. One first-grade teacher had over 20 students speak, according to Sterner.
Each was also give a surprise gift of a memory book left at their desk when they reported for work that day.
“There was quotes in there from people that they’ve worked with currently in the past that have retired,” Sterner said. “There’s pictures from students. There’s quotes from students. And on the very front cover of the book…. Was a watercolor painting of the building that they retired from, whether it was the elementary, middle or high school.”
The celebration also included games and noting years of service.
Sterner said the celebration was well received and that the district has received phone calls, cards and visits praising the retirement celebration.
“Thank you all for your support throughout this year,” Sterner said. “If you wouldn’t have demonstrated your support, we wouldn’t have had such a successful year.”
Sterner acknowledged both the school board and the broader district made changes this past school year and he felt they had positive results.
The board also acknowledged the resignation of Dr. Shannon Myers, the district’s assistant superintendent.
Myers will resign effective Sept. 15.
“Over the past 14 years, Shannon has served Bermudian Springs in a variety of roles, including reading specialist, elementary principal, middle school principal, assistant superintendent, and most notably, acting superintendent during a critical period of our transition for our school district,” Sterner said. “Throughout each of these positions, she has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our student, staff, families and communities. Shannon’s leadership has helped shape the educational experiences of countless students and has contributed significantly to the success and growth of our district.”
Sterner praised Myers’ long-lasting work in the district.
“I have appreciated her honesty, her counsel, and her unwavering commitment to doing what is best for students,” he said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked alongside her to have built a friendship that I know will continue long after the time at Bermudian Springs. While Shannon’s next chapter will take her beyond Bermudian Springs, her 14 years of service and dedication have left a legacy that will continue to influence our district for years to come.”
Myers said the decision to leave was “really, really difficult” and addressed the board, adding that she hoped a new hire will support Sterner and administration.
“I know that not all of you have been at the table for the 14 years that I’ve been here, but I can tell you there’s not a day that has gone by that I haven’t felt supported, appreciated and trusted,” Myers said. “And that means so much to me. I know that I am the leader that I am today because of this community, because of the faculty and staff, because of our administrators, and because of this guy, and because of all of you… It’s so, so important to me that they have the support that they need to continue to get this district where it needs to go.”
Goldhahn, an early proponent of developing the CIRA curriculum committee, called Myers “the backbone of the committee.”
Comprehensive planning project
Myers said the district is in the final year of its three-year comprehensive plan and work needs to begin for the next version.
“For those of you who are new, the comprehensive plan is essentially kind of the vision and the goals that we’ve set as a district over a three-year time period,” Myers said. “It’s a requirement.”
Myers asked board members to consider who is willing to serve on the committee.
“It’s an opportunity to look at our mission, our vision and really talk about the stakeholder groups and set the course for the next three years, for the 2027-2030 school years,” Myers said.
The committee will meet about four or five times over the next several months. During that time it will set goals for the district, but nothing is yet decided.
“I will say that the three goals that we have in our current plan were pretty lofty and they’re still very relevant,” Myers said. “So it may be some tweaking or it may be brand new goals. It really depends on the voices of the stakeholder group and kind of the feedback that we get from that.”
Personnel changes, updates for 2026-27
Matthew Jenkins will move from being the middle school assistant principal to being the high school assistant principal, replacing Laura McMillian, who is becoming elementary school principal.
McMillian replaces former elementary school principal Dr. Danielle Curzi, who is now the coordinator of student access and online learning.
The board approved other personnel decisions for 2026-27 as well as teacher mentor contracts, summer camp contracts, a school psychologist contract, a school dentist contract, and a solicitor contract with Saxton & Stump.
Goldhahn volunteered to serve as a voting delegate for PSBA Delegate Assembly, saying that she is interested in the focus on public school funding. Her appointment to the assembly was unanimously approved.
The board also unanimously agreed to buy McGraw-Hill’s Reveal Math and EdGems Math materials, as well as school supplies (paper, art supplies, and more) for $81,953.35 through the Lincoln Intermediate Unit Joint Purchasing Consortium, all for the upcoming school year. A variety of state contracts were also approved.
The board also approved a Sunday performance of The School of Rock: Young Actors’ Edition on Nov. 15.
Cafeteria prices, insurance costs rise
The board voted unanimously to raise elementary and secondary school breakfast and lunch prices by $0.10 each.
Elementary breakfast will rise from $1.55 to $1.65. Secondary breakfast will go from $1.70 to $1.80.
Elementary lunch will increase from $2.35 to $2.45 while secondary lunch will rise from $2.60 to $2.70
Milk will remain the same at $0.60.
Activities using federally-provided title funding were also unanimously approved for the upcoming school year, with Title I funding $330,008, Title II providing $42,387, and Title IV funding $25,169.
School sports and accident insurance, as well as district-wide insurance, were also approved. The costs for district-wide insurance jumped for the upcoming school year.
A Utica Insurance Company umbrella policy will cost $8,574 in 2026-27, a jump from $7,658 in 2025-26.
The district’s Utica Insurance Company auto policy will also increase to $5,097 this coming year compared to $5,708 in 2025-26.
The Utica Insurance Company commercial policy will rise to $141,590 in 2026-27 compared to $127,799 the prior school year.
The Eastern Alliance workers compensation policy will see a decrease from $52,269 in 2025-26 to $47,057 this coming year, according to the agenda.
Vision and dental benefits for employees will stay at the same price for 2026-27, but the district will see increases of 11.15% for health and prescription insurance premiums and 8% for life insurance premiums in 2026-27.
A resolution approving the purchase of property for a new Adams County Technical Institute building was also unanimously approved.
Five school districts in the county participate in the joint operating committee for ACTI, which is currently under contract for 67 acres at 6298 York Road, according to a letter sent to Bermudian Springs from the ACTI superintendent of record, Dr. Sharon Perry, and deputy administrative director, Dr. Tony Payne.
Before ending the meeting, Jennifer Goldhahn was re-elected as the board secretary with Mary Kemper chosen again as assistant secretary.
The board held a closed session before the public meeting in order to discuss the annual safety report and personnel, according to Chubb.
Chubb announced the board will hold a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 21.
The next regular board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11.
