By PAT NEWMAN
Staff Writer

The Fayette County Board of Education voted four to one to approve a $114.7 million budget for fiscal year 2000 Monday night, which reflects a 3.1 percent over last year's spending plan and gives teachers and administrators a 4 percent pay raise.

Dr. John DeCotis, superintendent of schools, recommended approval of the budget, which was both praised and criticized by the board.

“I'm a little disappointed in the way the budget was formulated... instead of justifying expenditures, they took how much we expected to receive and spent that. They took the millage and multiplied it by the anticipated growth and anticipated funding... It's not the most frugal use of the taxpayer's money,” said Woody Shelnutt, the only board member to vote against the budget. Fellow board member Connie Hale said she voted for the budget “reluctantly.”

Board Chairman Debbie Condon said she was “not disappointed in the budget.” She noted the “great deal of effort” that the superintendent and his support staff put into it. “It was not haphazardly put together. In the last couple budgets, spending exceeded our revenue. We had to take money out of our savings account to make up the deficit. This budget doesn't reflect that. I'm pleased we have a balanced budget.”

The budget includes a uniform 240-day year for administrators, paying them for summer hours many have worked without pay in previous years. The increased work year added about $230,000 to salaries. This, added to step increases and promotions caused some administrators' salaries to jump as much as 25 percent.

Other key items in the budget include salaries and benefits for 64 new teachers, 12.5 paraprofessionals, seven bus drivers, a psychologist and nine other new positions. This is expected to meet the needs of the 5 percent increase in students for next school year, about 500 students.

No cuts have been made in financing classroom instruction or teachers. No midterm adjustments from the state will be necessary this year, allowing the board's fund balance to increase.