Sturgis Schools approve budget

The 2015-16 operating budget for Sturgis Public Schools was approved by district officials last week.
The school district, which is St. Joseph County’s biggest at nearly 3,300 students, is in strong financial standing, according to Superintendent Tom Langdon.
Projections from the board show a 15 percent fund equity, which allows Sturgis schools to make payroll without borrowing money to cover until proper funding is received, officials said.
Equity has dropped in recent years, board member Scott Swihart noted, but that isn’t directly correlated to fewer students in the district. Officials said the estimated number of students in the district for the upcoming year should remain about the same.
Contingencies could always arise, Langdon said, and each year the budget goes through an audit, which is expected in the fall.