Brownwood ISD officials said Monday that considering a positive current budget surplus and the proposed 2011/2012 budget, some students and employees have good news coming their way.
The BISD School Board of Trustees passed a budget amendment to move $231,890 from undesignated fund balance to the technology fund for new laptop computers for the incoming high school freshmen class.
“That amount is to re-upping the freshmen computers,” said Brownwood ISD Superintendent Reece Blincoe. “Even if we didn’t re-up the whole class, we would need 100 or so just for the gain in student population in high school.”
Officials said that the new laptops will be issued to the freshmen which they will keep for the four years of high school. After that time, the students will likely have the option to purchase the laptops. Blincoe also said that the high school seniors who just graduated in May will get the chance to purchase the laptops they used before graduation.
“If you approve this tonight, this year’s seniors will be told that they will have a chance to come back and buy the computers,” Blincoe said. “We sent those computers away to get them repaired, and cleaned up; they were still under warranty so might as well get them cleaned up and repaired while they are still under warranty so they will have a shot at that.”
Although the final price is not set, officials said they are considering $300 as the sales price of the used computers for the seniors.
Currently, BISD issues laptops to students in grades 7 through 12 for use during the school year.
In another bit of good news, Deputy Superintendent Kevin Gabaree told the school board that BISD is doing well financially this year.
“Basically, we’re going to conservatively add $750,000 to our fund balance out of this year’s budget,” Gabaree said. “That is broken down about $250,000 from our local budget, $350,000 from the state settlement, and $150,000 from the SHARS Medicaid reimbursement to add to the $750,000. This does not include money in our current budget that we have not spent; I did not even include that. That is why I am saying it was a conservative number.”
As school officials look at creating the new 2011/2012 budget, some pay increases are being considered with no tax increases.
“The budget is still in progress. Our goal remains to bring to the board a balanced budget with no new tax request and a small pay increase to assist our district employees with increased health insurance premiums,” Gabaree said. “The preliminary budget is showing that we will meet this goal.”
BISD will look to set their tax rate and approve the new budget at the end of August.
In other items addressed at Monday’s school board meeting:
-School board trustees awarded the fuel bid for the 2011-2012 to Petroleum Traders as recommended by the TASB Buy Board. Officials said that they would see a significant savings going with this company opposed to choosing the only submitted bid from PF&E Oil Company.
-School board trustees approved the vendor list for district purchases.
-School board trustees approved the policy on special programs, gifted and talented students.
-School board trustees approved a contract with law firm of Linebarger, Goggan, Blair & Sampson, LLP for the purpose of appealing comptroller values.
-School board trustees approved the renewal of insurance coverage with Porter Insurance for property, general liability, errors and omission and fleet. The policy showed a 3% premium increase over last year with the addition of new school property.
-School board trustees approved the public funds investment policy as required by the state.
