An $8.1 million budget for the 2007-08 school year was adopted Monday by the Suttons Bay Board of Education.

Board members adopted the plan, which was the subject of a 6:30 p.m. public hearing. Retired school administrator Jack Mobly, a regular at monthly meetings, was the lone member of the audience.

The budget, prepared by the board finance committee in concert with business manager LeAnne Eustice and Superintendent Michael Murray, is based on a per-pupil foundation allowance of $7,085 and an enrollment of 900.

Of the $8.1 million in proposed expenditures, just over $4 million is earmarked for instruction and an additional $795,194 for special education. Some $203,759 is identified for pupil support and instructional staff. That includes the guidance and nursing office, and library and media instruction, Eustice said.

For operations and maintenance, $814,472 is earmarked. Between the superintendent’s office, school board and school principals, expenses of $698,048 are proposed. And $467,742 in transportation-related spending is budgeted.

Insurance for teachers’ health benefits is expected to increase by 2.8 in the new school year which begins July 1. Blue Cross payments for support staff health coverage will drop slightly because the staff is switching to health savings accounts.

This year’s fund balance, forecast at $919,000 for the end of this school year, actually grew to $1.153 million, Murray said.

“(Interim superintendent) Jim Leyndyke’s work on the 2006-07 budget set the tone for this year,” Murray said. “Money was not spent unless absolutely critical.”

The superintendent also cited savings in the area of snow removal and heating costs as the result of a relatively mild winter.

Additional action related to board business, such as election of officers and committee appointments, will take place at a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. on July 9, prior to the regular monthly board meeting.

In other business, board members authorized Murray and the district’s technology committee to prepare specifications for an upgrade of the district’s website.

“They are one of the main ways used by families to chose where they’re going to live,” Murray said. “We’d like to have it redone.”

Action could take place prior to the July meeting as the improvements aren’t likely to exceed the $19,000 bid threshold, Murray said.