The Brownwood Independent School District’s Board of Trustees met in special session on Monday evening and passed the 2009-2010 budget along with the new tax rates.
Deputy Superintendent Kevin Gabaree went over the budget after a very brief public hearing in which no one stepped forward.
Gabaree stated that there are really three budgets that need to have approval – the general fund budget, food service budget & the debt service budget which break down as follows:
- General Fund Budget: $24,908,721
- Food Service Budget: $1,604,781
- Debt Service Budget: $2,977,575
- Total of above: $29,491,077
BISD Superintendent, Reece Blinco recommended the board approve this budget which passed unanimously.
Kevin Gabaree then submitted the new tax rates for the district for the board’s approval. The new school property tax rate of $1.3194 per $100 valuation is a 2.4% increase over the effective tax rate which is needed for the district to make budget for the next fiscal year.
This rate includes $1.04 per $100 valuation for maintenance and operations and $0.2794 per $100 valuation for interest and sinking. The board unanimously approved all of these tax rates for 2009.
The Board of Trustees also approved the final amendments for the 2008-2009 general fund, food service, and debt service budgets and reviewed totals from that fiscal year.
The total revenue for the 2008-2009 fiscal year showed the following:
Local Revenue
- Budgeted – $11,411,162
- Estimated Actual – $11,407,000
State Revenue
- Budgeted – $13,145,527
- Estimated Actual – $13,420,600
Federal Revenue
- Budgeted – $119,000
- Estimated Actual – $244,500
Adding $1,725,744 that the district received for insurance for a roofing claim gave the district a total revenue of the fiscal year of $26,797,844.
Gabaree explained that at the start of the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the school had $7,256,300 in its fund balance and are estimating for the fund balance to finish the fiscal year with $4,845,019 which was due to spending on construction projects. $1.3 million of the current fund balance money will be allocated for more construction projects that are planned during the year.
Another discussion that closed out the meeting was current enrollment numbers. Blinco said that the board may look at another kindergarten teacher soon as Woodland Heights Elementary and East Elementary are both to capacity at that grade level.
It was also mentioned that enrollment was up at almost all campuses with it being right around 850 students at the high school. Coggin Elementary was the only campus with a drop due to that campus having a large class last year.
