News Photo by Julie Goldberg Alpena Public Schools buses are seen on Wednesday at the district’s bus grarage on M-32. Since district officials don’t know what the state budget will look like, they will only purchase one new bus this upcoming school year.

ALPENA — Alpena Public Schools has approved a status-quo 2019-20 budget while it waits to find out how much money might come from the state.

The district Board of Education approved a balanced budget Wednesday, with $41.5 million in both revenues and expenses. The fund equity, or cash-on-hand account, is expected to be $4.1 million.

Mary Lyon, associate superintendent for business and operations, said the budget includes wage increases, second semester union negotiations, and benefit increases for insurance.

“There’s no dip into fund balance,” Lyon said. “This is as much as we could update.”

The district is projecting $8,021 for per pupil allowance from the state, a $150 increase from the 2018-19 school year. It’s projecting 3,769 students, down 25 from last school year.

Superintendent John VanWagoner said the 2019-20 budget is a conservative budget.

“It has the barebones, no new things,” he said Wednesday. “Hopefully, it’s better, but again, we may not know until Oct. 1 at 2:30 in the morning, and we’ll be in six weeks into the school year possibly at that point, so this is the reality of what we got to do.”

The state has to have the budget approved by Oct. 1, when its fiscal year starts. If it’s not approved, the state goes into a government shutdown.

Lawmakers still are negotiating the state budget.

School district budgets begin July 1.

“It will be a long summer for us,” VanWagoner said.

The district’s long-range maintenance fund only includes a $90,000 bus purchase. The $90,000 is from the general fund. VanWagoner said the district will only purchase one bus, not multiple, like it usually does each school year.

The food service fund is balanced at almost $2.3 million for revenues and expenses. The district used to provide food service for Alcona Community Schools, but Alcona decided to run its own food service program.

The district will finish technology projects started in the current fiscal year, but will not start any new ones in the upcoming fiscal year. The district budgted almost $47,000 for technology in 2019-20.

A first budget amendment in the fall will be done with changes after the state’s budget is approved.

Julie Goldberg can be reached at 989-358-5688 or jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jkgoldberg12.