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McKenzie Special School District

Tax Rate Unchanged in $11.8 Million Budget

Posted

McKENZIE (June 18) — The McKenzie Special School District Board of Education met Tuesday with a standard summer agenda, including approval of the budget and tax rates for the 2019-20 fiscal year.
The tax rate of $1.277 per $100 assessed property value was approved unanimously. Director of Schools Lynn Watkins noted the rate has remained unchanged since 1997. Tax revenues are distributed between the General Fund ($.7256) and Debt Service Fund ($.5514).
The $11,848,402 approved budget is slightly smaller than last year and includes a two percent across-the-board raise and $1,000 Christmas bonus for all district employees. Food service employees will receive a four percent raise.
Estimated revenues and other funds total $11,553,383: $9,201,491 to the General Purpose Fund; $848,977 to the Federal Projects Fund; $774,300 to the Central Cafeteria Fund; and $728,615 to the Debt Service Fund.
Estimated expenditures total $11,848,402: $9,337,620 from the General Purpose Fund; $848,977 from the Federal Projects Fund; $792,090 from the Central Cafeteria Fund; and $869,718 from the Debt Service Fund.
The deficit of $295,022 will come from reserve funds, leaving an estimated $2,623,519 in reserves at the end of the fiscal year.
The 2019-20 salary schedule includes a starting salary of $38,350 for a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s. Each additional level of education and year of service increases the salary, with a 20-year teacher with a Doctorate earning $63,820.
Of McKenzie’s 101 instructors, 39 have at least 20 years of experience, and 45 hold at least a master’s.

The total outstanding principal and interest on the district’s bonded debt is $2,606,400 with the final payment due on April 1, 2022.
The board also approved some final amendments to the 2018-19 budget, including to account for new funds for the Pre-K program, the Read to be Ready summer program and Food Service.
Also under annual summer housekeeping was approval of the FY2020 Consolidated Application for grants including Title IA, II, III and V under ESSA, IDEA Part B, IDEA Preschool, IDEA Discretionary and Carl Perkins as well as authorization of Director Watkins as the board’s representative to file the application and Supervisor Ladona Herrin as the contact person for carrying out the duties associated with the application.
Board members approved General Fund expense accounts for each of the three schools and also approved Director Watkins as the district’s fiscal agent.
Also approved were the Food Service charges for 2019-20, which include no changes. The cafeterias will again provide free breakfast.
A workshop was scheduled for Thursday, July 18 at 5 p.m. Board members will address contract negotiations with the teachers’ association and discuss a five-year strategic plan.
The next regular board meeting is Tuesday, August 5 (the first full day of the new school year) at 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday’s meeting adjourned after 25 minutes. Board member Lance Rider was absent.

MSSD, Tax Rate, Tax, Budget