School Board Passes $56 Million Budget (TN)
May 28, 2010
The Dickson County School Board unanimously passed its $56.8 million budget Thursday night without asking for more money from the count y.
"If there is a tax increase for Dickson County residents it will not be due to the Dickson County school system," said Schools Director Johnny Chandler.
The budget reflects $1.2 million in increases in certified personnel salaries, retirement, health insurance, technology upgrades in classrooms and graphing calculators for Algebra II students while decreases and reductions total over $1 million.
The board also voted 4-2 in favor of funding in the budget for a Human Resource director position and a sixth mechanic to be added to the transportation budget.
The HR director will free up time for education directors to spend more time focusing on education while the additional mechanic will ensure buses are safe on the roads, Chandler said.
Board members Steve Haley and Sue Story voted against the HR director but in favor of adding the mechanic.
The largest chunk of the budget — 77 percent — goes for personnel, Chandler said, adding that there won’t be any pay increases this year except for only those required by state law.
He said no jobs have been eliminated and benefits haven’t been reduced.
The School Board will also make its $1 million payment to the county debt service.
"I recommend we pay this amount even though all three criteria requiring this payment is now void," Chandler said, referring to three requirements in the 1999 long-range building plan contract.
Board member Kirk Vandivort said that because the county is facing a number of budget crises this upcoming year with staffing the jail expa nsion, ongoing landfill litigation and other issues, he would go along with making the payment this time. But, he said, the School Board has to start looking ahead at building new schools and other projects and the $1 million payment to the debt service could likely become an issue later on.
Fifty-four percent of school funding comes from the state while the rest comes from property and sales tax.
Finance manager Linda Frazier said the school system has seen about a 4 percent increase in tax collections over last year but it has taken a major hit with municipalities reducing their contributions to education and other dwindling funds.
Chandler said there could be some extra BEP capital funding this year from the state Basic Education Program, which would keep a healthy fund balance, or rainy day fund, of about $3.9 million in the school system’s general purpose fund. Without the additional BEP capital the fund balance on June 30 of this year is projected to be $3.6 million
Chandler said he is set to present the proposed budget to the Dickson County Commission’s Budget Committee June 14. However, he said he doesn’t think the committee will pass the budget until after the Aug. 5 election, even though the current budget ends June 30.
Last year the county didn’t pass a balanced budget until the 11th hour when it was nearly forced to shut down schools.
Controversy erupted over the budget when the county faced a $2 million deficit and asked the School Board for the money to help cover that shortfall by making an extra payment on its debt service, which is 87 percent of the county’s total debt. However, the School Board twice denied the request and the county was forced to implement a 19-cent property tax increase.