School board passes tentative $40.1 million budget

This year’s proposed expenditures — $40,102,042 — are up $1,911,807.
The system expects to have $4,734,168 in reserves this year.

Most of the budget expenditures go toward salaries, which are up 2.5 percent. There is a local supplement increase for teachers and administrators for 2008-2009.

Assistant superintendent Bonnie Knight said that other spending increases were for new science, social studies and math textbooks; calculators for ninth grade math classes; and new agriculture, family-consumer science and intro to technology classes at the middle school.

The system also upgraded computers that were 4-5 years old and added a few teachers and paraprofessionals to accommodate student growth for class size requirements.

Knight also noted that rising fuel prices are effecting the cost of running the school system.

She, however, noted budget decreases in water and sewer payments and trailer rentals. The system will no longer rent trailers for any of the schools, which is saving the system $70,000.