DCS Board approves $22M budget for new fiscal year

At the close of the state mandated second public hearing Monday, the Demopolis City Schools Board of Education voted on a budget calling for $22,028,936 in expenses for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The budget calls for a beginning balance of $5.2 million and income of $20.5, leaving a projected balance of $3.3 at the close of the 2016-2017 school year.

In addition to the budget passed Monday, the school system also submits nine other operational plans to the Alabama Department of Education in such areas as capital projects, professional development, special education, technology and career tech.

The budget was helped this year because the number of students grew significantly, bringing in more state funding for teachers and eliminating the need for local funds to be used for more than four teacher salaries. The local system still pays for 10 teachers as compared to 15 during the last school term.

The budget estimates $13.1 million in revenue from state sources, only $2.4 million from federal funds and $4.4 million in local monies. Most of the local funding comes from ad valorem and sales tax. The biggest expenditure is expected to be instructional costs of $12.3 million, with another $3.1 million earmarked for instructional support.

Supt. Kyle Kallhoff said that while expenditures exceed revenue by $2 million, the gap between what comes in and what goes out is narrowing over previous years.

The first of the two budget hearings was held last Thursday. At the conclusion of the hearing, the board voted on the following personnel matters:

• Hiring Amanda Smith, Demopolis High School math teacher; Gabrielle Essex, DHS Access Lab Coordinator; Logan Arnold, technology coordinator; Tamyla James, gifted paraprofessional; substitutes Tajah Bell, Michele Nicole Choi, Lynn Foster, Hailey Tarver, Amanda Smith, Tamyla James and George Mullen for custodian or lunchroom vacancies.
• Paul Price, family medical leave through Nov. 9
• Amanda Smith and Tamyla James as substitutes through Sept. 8.

The board voted for a contract with Susan Clark for speech services.

Also approved was a request by the Demopolis Police Department for the use of the Demopolis Middle School football field for the annual “Night Out” and to post a System Technology Technician vacancy.

The regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the school board will be Monday, Sept. 19, at 5:15 p.m.