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WRIGHT TWP. &mdash; In a special meeting held in the secondary campus auditorium and streamed online, the Crestwood School Board voted for a second time on a 2020-21 final budget with a 2.5% property tax increase, and the votes ended exactly the same as those of a virtual meeting held last week when the video stream cut out before the vote.
				Anna Bibla, Maureen McGovern, and Randy Swank again joined President James Costello in voting no. Yes votes came from Barry Boone, James Brogna, Kimberly Spath, Lauren McCurdy and Stacy Haddix.
				Boone, a member of the finance committee, read a statement before the vote explaining his decision. He said in his 2-1/2 years on the board there &ldquo;always seems to be unseen costs,&rdquo; and cited $350,000 in unexpected transportation costs last year. Couple that with a reserve that has shrunk to $20,000 and the uncertainties created by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Boone said the increase was the only way to be sure the district avoids a bigger tax cut next year or cuts in programs and staff.
				Even with the 2.5% increase, he said, the budget is still short revenue this year. And costs for locked-in items such as contractual salaries and benefits are going to go up.
				&ldquo;We have no place to cut,&rdquo; Boone said. &ldquo;There is no fat.&rdquo;
				James Brogna, chair of the finance committee, echoed that opinion, pointing out as he has before that extensive budget information about the need for an increase was presented publicly online during a lengthy May 27 budget presentation open to the public. &ldquo;This was a difficult decision,&rdquo; he said.
				Business Manager Peter Bard promised his top goal is to get the district on firm financial footing within three to five years, but conceded &ldquo;it requires raising property taxes and reducing spending,&rdquo; adding that about $80,000 in savings were found while crafting the budget.
				The special meeting had only two other agenda items. The board hired Kathleen Zabiegalski as full-time accounts payable/school-based medical assistance secretary. She is married to a current district employee.
				And the board appointed fall sports coaches: For varsity football, Mike McCree as assistant coach at $4,128; Jason Mejeros and Chris George as assistants at $3,600 each; and Kyle Kutney and John Centak as assistants at $3,300 each. For junior high varsity, Vincent Genoble as head/assistant coach at $4,000 and Jim Shedlock and Tim Linder as assistants at $550 each.

Crestwood holds in-person meeting, approves tax hike again