LEDGER – The Mitchell County Schools budget for fiscal year 2019-20 is finally set.
Mitchell County Schools Finance Manager Danny Young presented the budget Tuesday, Dec. 17, during the regular meeting of the Mitchell County Board of Education. The board unanimously approved the budget.
Young acknowledged the budget adoption is later than usual, saying the budget is usually adopted in August or September but activity at the state level forced him to wait as long as possible to put it together.
While some unknowns still loom at the state level, Young said he felt it was time to do his best to estimate the state budget numbers and get a local budget in place.
“This is by far the latest we’ve ever had it,” Young said. “I felt like we needed to at least go ahead and get a road map.”
Young said the budget will likely change, adding he estimated on the high side for salary increases from the state level.
“This will change, but it will change for the better,” he said.
The approved budget appropriates $2,427,820 in expense funds and $16,044,446 in state public school funds.
The budget calls for the appropriation of $1,416,926 in federal grant funds and $975,971 in child nutrition funds.
The 2019-20 budget calls for $899,280 in capital outlay funds and $431,561 in the other specific revenue fund.
Young said the school system will not be funded for a social worker but one will still be employed, leaving the school system to absorb the salary. All other salary increases will be absorbed locally.
Mitchell County will fund two STEM teachers, which Young said “will really help” the overall budget.
Young said the total budget is up about 2.5 percent from the previous fiscal year, which he primarily attributes to his high estimates for state-level salary increases.
“From a financial standpoint, I really feel good about this budget,” Young said. “I feel better about it than I have in the past several years.”