Early Look At Northern WY Community College FY 2023 Budget Projects Another Year In The Black

By this time next year, the Northern Wyoming Community College District could have some more money in the bank, even though no more money is coming from Campbell County.

Exact numbers are still being discussed but if the next fiscal year goes well, the District could have an operating revenue of more than $32-million and end up with a surplus of $600,000.

It is anticipated that the District would get a 15.5% increase in Sheridan County assessed valuation, and would include a salary increase of 4% for staff, and adjunct instructors.

Of the total budgeted expenditures, about 63% of the budget is for salaries and benefits, while the other 37% is operating expenses.

One thing the budget would not include is funding from the city of Gillette or from Campbell County as Gillette College continues to work on separating from the District and forming its own.

District President Doctor Walter Tribley says one of the driving factors to any school budget is enrollment, and although the district’s enrollment numbers are not where they were before the covid pandemic started, they are improving.

“We look at where we are now, this many days in advance of the start of the fall semester compared to previous years, we are starting to climb up. The early indications are that we are turning the corner on enrollment. It’s not a steep incline towards larger enrollment but it is climbing at this point, but the number that’s going to matter is when we start the fall semester and see where it actually is.”

The Northern Wyoming Community College District will vote on the budget at its next meeting on July 12th.