Mineola school board works through preliminary budget

By Phil Major
publisher@wood.cm
Posted 6/23/22

Mineola school trustees got a look at preliminary budget figures Monday.

Without payroll or tax figures to consider, the expense line is up $463,000, based on submitted campus and department …

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Mineola school board works through preliminary budget

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Mineola school trustees got a look at preliminary budget figures Monday.

Without payroll or tax figures to consider, the expense line is up $463,000, based on submitted campus and department budgets.

Among higher costs will be fuel, which business manager William Bjork said he will reevaluate in August. He estimated a $30,000 increase in the transportation budget. A new 30-passenger bus at $45,000 is also proposed.

The district’s portion of the county appraisal district budget is proposed to increase $63,000. A public hearing was scheduled for that budget at 8 a.m. Thursday in Quitman.

An increase is projected in the cost to live-stream athletic events. Bjork said the district is discussing turning that over to the athletic booster club.

The district’s share of the special education co-op is also rising, Bjork said, due to more students in the program. That cost will be offset by additional state funds.

In the food service budget, the middle school and high school will no longer qualify for free lunches, although the program will continue at primary and elementary.

The district is looking at a rise in the cost of property insurance following a reevaluation of the district’s facilities.

Employee health insurance is falling slightly, from $417 per month to $408 thanks to a state infusion of federal COVID relief dollars.

On the revenue side, the district’s preliminary property values rose form last year’s certified value of $634 million to $769 million.

Bjork noted there are many property protests this year, and the final figure in late July could be lower.

The new $40,000 homestead exemption approved by voters in May is projected to cost the district $34 million.

Once the final property values are known, the property tax rate can be calculated, which will include the first debt payment from the district’s $29.855 million bond issue approved by voters in May.

The board will continue to review the budget at the July and August meetings.

Trustees agreed to continue funding additional campus counseling services for a slightly higher fee.

The board also approved Creative Edge to serve as district photographer for three years. The Alba-based company won the bid for the first time last year.