Finances Discussed For New Cheltenham Football Stadium

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — After maintaining a consistent capital reserve fund for four years, the Cheltenham Township School District has dipped into the fund starting in the 2025-2026 school year to finance the football stadium complex project.

The CSD Finance Committee met last Tuesday to review the district's financial status, capital projects, and food service operations.

Co-chair Daniel Schultz presided over the meeting, which was held in person and via video conferencing. The agenda included four main items for discussion.

Josh Sweigard, CSD Director of Business Services, presented the interim financial statements. He said statements indicated a minor decrease in total cash holdings. This dip was attributed to funds being allocated for strategic plan projects within the district.

The committee then addressed capital financing, which supports significant projects such as buildings, equipment, and furniture that exceed the board's capitalization threshold.

Sweigard also provided an overview of the district’s food service operations, currently managed by Whitsons Culinary.

The food service fund maintains a reserve exceeding $1 million.

The district is using these funds to replace outdated equipment. After a four-year tenure with Whitsons, the district has issued a request for proposal to find a new food service provider.

Sweigard also delivered a budget update concerning state and federal government funding. State budget funding sources are largely consistent with previous years, with most new funds originating from Ready to Learn block grants.

Federal funding approved for the 2026-2027 school year is expected to remain substantially unchanged.

The next Finance Committee meeting is on Tuesday, April 7, following the Facilities meeting.