By Cristin Ross
cross@jacksonvilleprogress.com
Rusk Independent School District trustees got a head start on the annual budget process Thursday during the regular July board meeting.
“We’re seeing a much tighter budget this year,” Superintendent Jim Largent said. “I think we’ll be okay, just tight.”
Financial Director Lesa Jones presented preliminary figures for the 2008-09 school budget.
She reported some of the biggest expenditure changes included fuel costs, utilities and staff raises.
“Payroll is 72 percent of our budget,” Jones said.
Last year, Rusk teachers received a just over 6 percent raise and the district’s support staff received a 4 percent raise. This year, teachers got a 4 percent raise and support staff received a 5 percent raise.
Jones reported the school’s utility costs have risen 59 percent over the last two years and fuel costs are up, as well.
“This year we’ve increased our fuel budget by $70,000 over last year,” Jones said. “That increase is the same as hiring two teachers. We are now at a quarter of a million dollars budgeted for fuel.”
Jones said if fuel prices continue to rise the district may have to significantly cut down on field trips and extra-curricular activities requiring bus transportation.
“At this point, we’re not concerned,” Jones told board members. “These are very conservative numbers, we’ve got $6.7 million in our fund balance and we were very careful to make sure our utilities and other fixed costs are covered.”
The school board has until Sept. 30 to adopt next year’s budget.
“Thank you Lesa,” Board President David Fulton said. “You always do a great job for us and we appreciate it very much.”
Also on Thursday, trustees approved:
• amending the Interlocal Electricity Procurement Agreement with Energy for Schools to operate as a Shared Services Agreement;
• the resignations of teachers George Banda, Susanah Barnes, Jamie Hays, D’Linda Mahaffey, Debbie O’Maine, Samuel White, Rose Whitehead and Wayne Mahaffey; and
• the employment of teachers Karen Hendley, Vicky Lusk, Cory Crow and Emily Whitworth.
