School board receives budget augmentation highlights

At a special Churchill County School Board meeting Feb. 27, Comptroller Christi Fielding presented the February budget augmentation highlights.

The General Fund was augmented $1.7 million in revenue due to a higher ending fund balance rollover from fiscal year 2021-22. This was in part because of conservative spending and savings from continued staff vacancies. The district also received almost $190,000 in new federal grants.

DSA revenue showed a decrease due to lower enrollment from a projection of 3,241 students in April 2022 to actual enrollment of 3,199 in December.

An increase of $527,000 in teacher salaries and benefits was caused by using substitutes in unfilled positions throughout the year. This expenditure will likely be recovered from the vacancy fund at the end of the year, since the district has budgeted for these positions in anticipation of bringing on new hires.

A decrease in administration expenses occurred with a retiring principal being replaced by a new principal at a lower wage. New employees in the Human Resources Department along with some additional staff shortages caused a similar decrease in central services.

Large increases in natural gas, diesel fuel, electricity and other utilities expenses were also listed.

The total increase to the ending fund balance was $404,787.37 with a 5.25% fund balance of total expenditures.

Superintendent Summer Stephens acknowledged that Fielding has done “a lot of hard work” on the budget and to compile the report.