Wednesday, March 17, 2004
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Wednesday, March 17, 2004 |
| BoE wrestles with many money issues By J. FRANK LYNCH Money. At the heart of nearly every issue that was brought before the Fayette County School Board on Monday, money, or rather, the potential lack of it, was central. In approving by mass vote the contracts for more than 1,500 system employees “rehired” for next school year, the board committed to a funding outlay well in excess of $100 million, more than 70 percent of an operations budget that won’t be finalized until June. In hearing from concerned parent Peggy Odum of Peeples Elementary School, they were reminded of the challenges they face in some schools that seem permanently overcrowded, and others that remain half empty. They approved the purchase of bleachers for the new gymnasium at McIntosh High, to the tune of $131,206. They heard a lengthy plea to spend $1.08 million on new language arts textbooks and resource guides for grades six through 12, to replace materials 14 years old and “held together by tape,” said Ann Riggins, coordinator of language arts curriculum. She was followed by similar requests to spend nearly a half million more on special ed materials and foreign language textbooks, all due for replacement. The textbook requests were tabled for a month of public inspection. Superintendent John DeCotis reminded board members that each year, the district funds $1 million for new textbook purchases just to keep up with rising enrollment, not replacements. The board also approved the language in a public notice advertising the auction of about 40 acres of surplus land on Lester Road near the Fayette Family YMCA. An appraisal was recommended, since nobody was certain what kind of profit the board would reap from the sale of the acreage, once considered for a high school. There was even good news related to the 2005 budget process, which is still largely at the mercy of state lawmakers who have yet to finalize education outlays for the fiscal year. “We’ve heard two things from the state last week that could benefit us,” said James Stephens, finance director. “On Friday, a House committee voted to do the mandatory teacher pay raises of 2 percent starting midyear, in January, which will relieve our outlay considerably.” “If we move all our pay raises to that same schedule, we will be in much better shape,” he said. Also, the state indicated it would not enforce a reduction in the student-teacher ratios next year as scheduled, which could save Fayette County more than $1 million, Stephens said. Still, Fayette’s proposed 2004-05 operations budget will likely be $7 to $9 million more than the current $148 million plan, not counting additional cuts in funding from the state that will have to be replaced locally. “At this stage, we’re just crunching our numbers and waiting for the state to finalize their budget,” Stephens said, adding that the district is actually ahead by several weeks in the process, having approved the mid-year adjusted budget back in December. It’s usually not dealt with until February. The next scheduled budget workshop session is April 6, but that might be moved to avoid a conflict with spring break. The board must approve a budget by mid-June. The fiscal year starts July 1.
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