RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD Also serving North Riverside $1.00
Vol. 32, No. 34
August 23, 2017
FFresh face Democratic Party De of Brookfield forms PAGE 6 PAG
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North Riverside hikes water rates PAGE 5
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RBHS working to narrow 2017-18 budget deficit State school funding bill, fewer property tax appeals could help By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
The projected budget deficit at Riverside-Brookfield High School for fiscal year 2018 has shrunk by about $250,000, and the deficit could possibly disappear entirely by the end of the year, says District 208 Superintendent Kevin Skinkis. At the Aug. 8 meeting of the District 208 Board of Education, Skinkis and Chief Financial Officer Scott Beranek outlined changes that reduced the projected budget deficit to $344,285 from the $590,367 that was presented in the first budget outline in July. School officials now believe that, based on last year’s results, they can safely budget at least $100,000 less for property tax refunds. They also believe that they could save an additional $60,000 now budgeted for property tax appeals, depending on how tax appeal cases turn out. Beranek also outlined a series of other changes in the budget that will increase projected revenue and reduce projected expenses. The amount of state aid that the district will receive is still uncertain as administrators wait for the Democratic-controlled state legislature and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner to agree on a new state funding formula for state aid to local school districts. In their latest projected budget, RBHS officials have See BUDGET on page 3
SEBASTIAN HIDALGO/Staff Photographer
A GOOD SHOW: Riverside-Brookfield High School science students look up with solar glasses to view the eclipse on Monday at the football stadium.
Eclipse watching, here and there
The viewing was dodgy at R-B stadium, but great down in Carbondale By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Despite mostly overcast skies, many people went outside midday on Monday to get a glimpse of the solar eclipse.
In our area, 87 percent of the sun was obscured by the moon at the peak moment of the eclipse at 1:18 p.m. At Riverside Brookfield High School the entire student body walked across the street to view the eclipse from the
bleachers of the football stadium. Eclipse glasses, essential for viewing the event without damaging the eyes, were provided to all students. See ECLIPSE on page 11
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