Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 115 No. 21	May 21, 2008

Lean budget, cuts in services face Meade schools

By SANDRA STONE
Messenger Staff

The Meade County Board of Education reviewed and approved a “very lean” tentative budget for the 2008-2009 school year during their May 13 regular meeting.

Susan Fackler addressed the board, noting key points of the budget.

Anticipated receipts total $27,052,622, added to a beginning balance of $7,621.881 for a total general fund budget of $34,674,503.

The latest calculations estimate general fund SEEK at $21.6 million, an increase of only $47,000 from last year. Although the SEEK base increased by $44 per child, said Fackler, the transportation portion of Meade County’s funding was cut by $168,000, a sobering number in light of ever-increasing fuel costs.

The budget includes $550,000 for diesel fuel. Fackler said she will look at fuel costs in September before doing the final 2008-2009 school year budget. As it currently costs $3 a mile to run a school bus, Crump said the district will start looking at field trips and other activities requiring transportation and will likely cut some of these excursions.

A 1 percent proposed pay increase for all employees would cost approximately $370,000, and the SEEK increase will cover a little more than one-third of that pay raise.

The special revenue funds took the biggest hit, the result of large cuts to several state grants including extended school services (65 percent), preschool (25 percent), professional development (63 percent) and safe schools (58 percent). Fackler said she had anticipated some cuts but had been surprised and saddened by how extensive they were. These cuts are reflected in the current tentative budget. The preschool budget will be made up with general funds.

“At this point, the contingency will hold us,” said Mitch Crump, superintendent of Meade County schools.

“This is the first year since I’ve been superintendent that we will actually see services for students decreased,” said Crump, who also noted four positions – one teacher and three aides – had not been renewed. “It’s a very lean budget,” he said. “We’ll have to be creative and efficient in what we do.”

In other financial business, the board approved White & Company to conduct their financial audit.

The monthly financial statements reflected general fund receipts of $2,411,270 and expenditures of $2,040,735 for April. The construction fund reflected bond proceeds in the amount of $5,669,796 to begin financing the Ekron Elementary addition/renovation.

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