As the new year begins to kick into gear, Elizabethton City Schools is starting to look at the budget forecast for 2017-18.
The system’s Board of Education convened Tuesday evening and unanimously approved a budget request to Elizabethton City Manager Jerome Kitchens right before meeting for a brief budget workshop among members.
The request, documented in a letter to the city manager, shows the school system requesting an increase in the 17-18 operating allocation in the amount of $50,000 for a total allocation of $2,450,000.
Director of Schools Dr. Corey Gardenhour stated during the meeting that the additional funds would help meet security and technology moving forward.
Both needs were brought up by each of the schools within the system, Gardenhour added, also stating the system has had productive talks with the Elizabethton Police Department. ECS currently has $100,000 in the budget to go toward technology and security.
The letter addressed to the city manager states the BOE’s excitement to meet with the city and discuss and receive a commitment for the funding to complete expansion at T.A. Dugger Junior High School that “will greatly enhance the T.A. Dugger campus and meet the needs of our students.”
ECS is hoping to see the expansion come to fruition with the half-cent sales tax revenue committed to school capital outlay projects throughout the repayment schedule of all current school bonds, which is currently scheduled for June 30, 2034.
In the letter, the system also expressed excitement being able to complete campus projects at Elizabethton High School be utilizing the $5 million bond issue.
During the workshop, Gardenhour added the system’s general fund balance is “north of” $700,000 and credited the work of Beth Wilson, director of business and fiscal management, with the school system and her staff for the work on this year’s cycle.
ECS added they will be conservative this budget cycle after working with an insurance shortfall during last year’s budget process.
The BOE will meet in a future workshop to better hash out details once funding numbers come in from the Governor’s Office.
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In other business, the board unanimously passed a board policy, on its first reading, in regards to the attendance of non-resident students. ECS is looking at the possibility of allowing parents of students to make monthly payments over a nine-month period for tuition.
Other agenda items that passed unanimously include
• A full maintenance service agreement between ECS and United Elevator Services for elevators at T.A. Dugger and Harold McCormick.
• A first-reading of a board policy in regards to student wellness.
• An agreement between ECS and SchoolPointe, Inc. for website development to better handle ADA options and be more easily accessible for the public and employees.
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Gardenhour encouraged attendees to come out to EHS’ first track meet on March 13 as the school hosts their first event at the newly renovated LaPorte Track. During the opening discussion, both Gardenhour and BOE Chair Rita Booher talked about their trip to Nashville to hear upcoming legislation that will be on the docket in the coming months in regards to education.
Booher encouraged the public to contact local representatives and thank them for their work and voice their opinions on upcoming bills that could possibly affect education. While adding none of the bills were from local representatives, the chair added that there are some bills that the BOE supports while others that could come with other outcomes.
“Calls do work,” she said.