The Wright City R-II School Board has approved a $31.8 million fiscal year 2023 budget.

Projected revenues for fiscal year 2023 are $28.3 million. The district expects to end the fiscal year with a fund balance of over $53 million.

The budget includes over $600,000 for staff pay. The budget allocates $211,000 for vertical and horizontal staff movement. The budget allocates over $357,000 for a 4% increase to base salaries and administration.

The budget allocates $26,000 in a market value increase for the health department and $8,000 in a market value increase for teachers with 20 or more years of service. The back of schedule increase allocated $500 to staff with 20 or more years of service. The district also allocated extra funds for staff with 20-31 years of service this past fiscal year.

“Last year to my knowledge … was the first time that we ever did something specifically to the back,” Berger said. “I termed that being ‘surgical,’ where we said we’re not just going to (increase) something and apply it to the base. Let’s get surgical and see where we need more help than just doing something to the base.”

Berger noted the majority of district staff members are early in their career. Berger believes the district’s strategy that was in place to keep the salary for early career teachers is working. However, they have to be aware teachers may be looking for better financial opportunities on the back end of the salary schedules, Berger said.

“It’s not a Wright City thing. This is what everyone’s battling,” he said. “Now we need to battle it and be better than everybody else, particularly those close to us. We’ve got to get ahead of them. But certainly everybody is faced with this challenge of teacher retention.”

The district’s insurance premiums did not increase this fiscal year.

Capital project fund expenditures are budgeted at over $5.1 million. This includes over $3.8 million for architect expenses related to the new school projects. Other capital projects budgeted for the 2023 fiscal year include a Wright City Middle School roof restoration, which is budgeted at $95,000.

Installation of security cameras at both East Elementary and West Elementary are budgeted at $50,000 each. The fiscal year 2023 capital expenditure schedule also includes football goal posts, which are budgeted at $20,000, and football and baseball scoreboards budgeted at $15,000 each.

Berger added the district remains in sound fiscal condition. Next year’s projected carryover will exceed the board’s reserve goal.