It will cost taxpayers nearly $115 million to school an expected 20,013 Fayette students, according to the fiscal year 2000 budget given tentative approval Monday night by the Fayette County Board of Education.

The unanimously adopted balanced budget reflects a 3.1 percent increase in spending over last year's budget and includes an across-the-board 4 percent pay raise for teachers, administrators and staff.

“I think you did a real good job with very limited resources. We've been able to pass along the state recommended salary increase and take care of some maintenance items,” Debbie Condon, board of education chairman, said.

She noted that the budget also includes a uniform 240-day contract for administrators, paying them for summer hours many previously worked without pay.

The increased work year for principals and their secretaries will add $230,000 to the salaries' budget. Because some principals had been getting paid for a shorter span, some will see major increases in their paychecks. At least one principal will receive nearly a 25 percent raise. A chart of administrators' and principals' salaries is on Page 7A.

“I am not pleased with the budget; I wish we could have done more. You have had definite time constraints. Dr. DeCotis came on in April and had to get on it quickly,” Condon added, referring to DeCotis' promotion to superintendent.

Key items in the proposed budget, which is expected to be given an official approval in two weeks, includes additional salaries and benefits totaling $4,250,000 for 64 new teachers, 12.5 paraprofessionals, seven bus drivers, a psychologist and nine other new positions. This will meet the needs of the 5 percent, or 500 student, increase for next school year.

No cuts have been made in financing classroom instruction or teachers, according to the budget document given to reporters. No midterm adjustment from the state will be necessary this year, allowing the board's fund balance to build.

The proposed 2000 travel budget of $279,156 — the object of scrutiny by the board last week — was trimmed.

“Travel is now $18,619 more than last year, which is two-tenths of 1 percent of the total budget,” finance director Jim Stephens said. The board had asked Stephens and DeCotis to go back over travel expenses at last week's meeting.

Their request to look over principals' salaries based on a district-wide, 240-day calendar, and ”position responsibility supplements” awarded annually based on the number of teachers, was answered in a memo from DeCotis outlining several proposals.

“There are legalities involved with these options,” DeCotis said. He recommended a meeting between the board and their attorney to discuss possible proposals.

Principals have signed contracts noting the change in calendar from their previous 210 or 220 to the current 240. At the last board meeting, several members expressed concern over the amount of money the calendar revision would increase salaries. The move to a 240-day calendar was approved last August by the board, in order that all principals would work the same number of days, which was previously not the case.

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