The preliminary fiscal year 2010 budget, which actually began July 1 and runs through June 30, 2010, was approved at the school board's July 30 meeting.
As business manager Connie Blatherwick explains, state law requires the preliminary budget to be approved by Aug. 1 of that same budget year. Then the board has until its September meeting to approve the final budget, she said.
District 1 is getting $1.9 million in stimulus money, and the funding is "a major difference" in the budget, Blatherwick said. Most of the money is for maintenance and textbooks. The Operation and Maintenance of Plant line item in the budget has $1,131,388.13 more in it this year than last year thanks to the stimulus boost.
Part of that money goes toward fixing the Rickard, Wilkinson and Lewis and Clark elementary school roofs. Rickard's roof is of upmost concern, with a flat roof that has rotting lumber. The school board recently approved submitting a plan to the state Department of Public Instruction to replace the tar and gravel roof on two wings of Rickard with a new metal roof and repair underlayments damaged from the roof leaking, replace other areas of rubber membrane with new rubber membrane roofing at Rickard and replace existing rubber membrane roofing with new rubber membrane roofing on the entire facility at Wilkinson and Lewis and Clark.
Other maintenance issues that may be taken care of with stimulus money include renovating the home economics classroom at Williston High School which is about 50 years old. Doing something about the portable buildings at the elementary schools that were supposed to be temporary space also is a possibility.
The Instructional Media Service line item is receiving $132,392.38 more than it had last year for the additional textbooks such as science and reading for all grades, courtesy of the stimulus money.
Three line-item increases reflect changes in personnel. The Elementary Instruction budget was bumped up from $3,771,468.93 to $4,392,400, an increase of $620,931.07, because a kindergarten teacher was added in the district, Blatherwick said, and superintendent Viola LaFontaine said two Title I teachers were added at Rickard.
The Improvement of Instructional Service line item was increased from $7,629.34 in Fiscal Year 2009 to $72,100 this coming fiscal year to accommodate an administrator's change of duty. Williston Middle School Principal Marcia Armogost is also the curriculum and assessment director on a half-time basis, meaning her duties include organizing and facilitating testing needs and requirements, assessing and ordering text books and connecting professional development needs to curriculum and instructional needs.
The budget increase accounts for Armogost's salary, benefits, supplies and travel, Blatherwick said.
The Special Area Administrative Service budget increased from $10,839.17 last year to $62,350 to pay for the federal programs director position held by Pam Lambert, who is also the assistant principal at Wilkinson Elementary.
It's possible taxpayers may see some relief because the state has agreed to pay 70 mills based on last year's taxable valuation, Blatherwick said.
The school district is estimating it will only need $3,442,314 in revenue for its General Fund Property Tax Levy, compared to the $4,905,514.53 it needed last year, a difference of $1,463,200.53. In all, the district anticipates needing $1,458,330.03 less in local revenue than last year.
This is because it anticipates getting $4,459,730.64 more in state revenue this year than last year. The school district is to receive $858,302.41 more this year in mill-levy reduction grants, $3,959,776.41 more in its Other Restricted State Revenue, $106,300 more in its Special Education Joint Agreements budget and $391,237 in its Other Unrestricted State Revenue when it didn't have any money in that line item last year.
Although it means good news for those who pay property taxes, Blatherwick said it's too early to tell how much taxes will go down. That is to be determined later this year, she said. Overall, Blatherwick and LaFontaine are satisfied with the budget.
"I'm very happy and pleased with the stimulus money. Even though it's a one-time deal, we'll be able to get caught up," Blatherwick said and LaFontaine agreed.
"It's a really good boost for this school that will help us get closer with some major things that are needed in the system," LaFontaine said. The district has until September 2011 to use the money, she said.
The budget is expected to end in the black at $3,072,995.38, a typical ending balance similar to last year, Blatherwick said. The amount is a 14- to 15-percent carryover, close to the state average, she said. The school board is expected to approve the final budget at its Sept. 17 meeting.
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