Worland school board approves budget

WORLAND — The Washakie County School District No. 1 approved a $25.3 million general fund budget with total appropriations for the 2018-2019 fiscal year budget of $40.8 million Wednesday night.

Also Wednesday night, the board failed to pass a motion to increase meal prices by 10 cents for the upcoming year.

Business Manager Jack Stott explained that the food service fund is supplemented each year by the general fund by $200,000 and last year and this year that amount has increased by $25,000.

In looking at figures, board member Anna Venable questioned a $173,000 increase in the food service budget. Stott explained that the increase over the actual amount spent during 2017-2018 fiscal year is reserve funds that are placed in different line items in the food service budget.

Venable questioned whether the increase is needed with that amount of contingency/reserves.

Following the budget hearing, where the budget was approved, a motion during the regular meeting was made to increase meal prices by 10 cents, providing about $7,200 in revenue. The motion failed on a 3-3 vote with Terri Logan, David Tommerup and Don Bryant voting in favor and Venable, Dean Dupree and Joe Bishop opposed.

The motion by Logan nearly failed for a lack of a second before Venable seconded the motion “so we can vote on it.”

BUDGET

In other budgetary news, Stott said the biggest change over last year’s budget is a change in the beginning balance of the general fund, which was just under $4.1 million and this fiscal year (that started July 1) is at about $3.4 million.

He said the district anticipated decreasing the funds by $300,000 but there were additional costs with out-of-district placement of a few students.

“Outside of that, the budget is very typical,” Stott said.

He said 80 percent of revenue comes from the state’s school foundation program.

Stott said this is also the first year transportation reimbursement is fixed per action by the Wyoming Legislature. He said the school had actual transportation expenditures last fiscal year of $612,000 but the fixed amount is $605,000.

Stott said the district is also having to transfer $150,000 from the insurance trust. That will cover a portion of the health care insurance increase.

The budget also reflects a savings of $600,000 from seven positions, from retirement and attrition, that are not being filled.

The board previously approved a benefit package for the new fiscal year that included:

•Allowing staff to move on the salary schedules with steps and lanes (experience and education). This is something that the district was unable to allow last year due to budget constraints.

•One-time supplement, but slightly less than the supplement provided last year: $600 for certified staff; $420 for 12-month classified employees; $315 for nine-month classified employees; $75 for coaches who don’t hold other positions in the district; and substitutes a $2.50 increase per day.

•The district picked up the 8 percent increase for health insurance ($175,000) with the package remaining the same — district pays 80 percent of premiums and staff 20 percent.

•Allowing the district to pay for up to two unused annual days at the substitute pay rate.

Current district policy allows for staff to convert up to five of the 11 annual sick days to annual leave. This new benefit would allow for up to two of the annual leave days to be bought out annually, if an employee so chooses.

•District contribution of $500 to full-time employees’ health savings accounts.

The budget is as follows:

General fund $25,308,139

Special revenue funds (grants) $4,360,743

Capital construction fund $1,878,806

Debt service $1,737,907 (The debt for the aquatic center is $6.5 million on schedule to be paid off in 10 years.)

Food service fund $979,665

Insurance Trust $475,057

Private Trust $4,724,836 (scholarships and aquatic center endowment)

Pupil activity (funds raised by school organizations) $421,080

Recreation district $594,707

Total appropriations of $40,480,940.

REGULAR MEETING

During the regular meeting Wednesday night, the board:

•Approved the hire of Emma Christophersen as life skills teacher at South Side with Terri Logan opposed.

•Approved bids for milk, Sysco; bread, Franz; and fuel, Big Horn Co-op.

•Heard a school safety update report from Stott. He said a school safety audit consultant that several districts have used charges $3,000 per facility. He said the architects will be looking at school safety features as they look at new entryways for each facility.

The board will have a special meeting at the Washakie County Fairgrounds on Friday, Aug. 3, at noon to handle any last minute hirings before the start of the school year.