CISD Trustees okay FY15 budget

The Clarendon ISD Board of Trustees adopted a $5.3 million budget for the upcoming fiscal year during a meeting last Tuesday, August 26.

The budget consists of two parts, $5.1 million for the school’s general fund and $230,555 for the district’s food services.

Superintendent Monty Hysinger said the fiscal year 2015 budget is based on an average daily attendance of 429 students; and overall reflects a balanced budget about 4.8 percent higher than last year’s.

CISD is maintaining its taxrate at the state limit of $1.17 per $100 valuation as approved by voters last year, but higher property values will bring more revenue to the school.

“We’ve seen property values up about $7 million mostly due to utilities,” Superintendent Monty Hysinger said. “The value of the average single family residence is actually down slightly.”

One of the highlights of this year’s budget is that it allows for step raises for teachers, and teachers whose salaries were frozen last year will also get an additional step raise to get them back on track.

“That’s important when youre competing with districts that can pay more than we can,” Hysinger said.

The new budget does not include any major facility upgrades other than modernizing the school’s wireless network.

The school is finishing construction of a covered shed to protect buses, and Hysinger said the field house needs to be re-roofed. But for the most part the school’s physical plant is in good condition.

“Our facilities are really in good shape,” he said.

To support the fiscal year 2015 budget, local taxes are expected to generate about $1.67 million, and the remaining funds will come from state appropriations and other sources.