JACKSON Tenn – Jackson Madison County School Board Sends a $101 million Budget to the County Commission
Thursday night the board sorted through the 2016 -17 General Purpose and Capital budget proposal with painstaking detail.
The board heard from JMCS Financial Officer, Vicky Schwartz, and Superintendent Verna Ruffin regarding the details of the budget line items.
Discussion centered around capital project requests, both past and future, salaries, and technology.
The budget includes a 3% raise but hinges on the state funding otherwise the board doesn’t have the extra if the state amount doesn’t come through.
Board member Bob Alvey had several questions about the way the superintendent was presenting the middle school athletic funding stipends for coaches. Alvey felt the way it was being presented made it seem as something new. Board member Dave Bratcher agreed, saying there was no net gain and he was also lost by the way it was worded in the budget.
Board member David Clifft asked Dr Ruffin who made the decision not to have the roof repairs done at Northside High School. He said he had heard it said “we decided” but didn’t know who the “we” was. After discussion, Dr Ruffin said she made the decision not to have the work done and instead used the money for “other projects”. Ruffin told the board she had sent out memos informing them of her intentions. Clifft said he could not say he didn’t get those memos but did not recall seeing them. Clifft asked Ruffin to send him copies of those emails.
“If the board budgets for a project, and that in itself clearly shows the board’s intent to carry out that project, is it within the superintendent’s discretion to decide whether that’s a worthwhile project?” Clifft asked.
When asked if it was with-in her authority not to follow through on board directives such as the capital repairs requested and funded, Ruffin said, “I don’t know”.
Board member George Neely brought up the decision not to replace the stadium at Northside High School. In light of the fact in 2014 the board had been told, and told the county commission, the stadium was a potential danger and needed to be replaced Neely said it was a constant liability to have not completed that work. “It really disturbs me that we didn’t go ahead and do what we said we were going to do,” Neely said.
Ruffin said the $645,000 dollars for the stadium had not been spent and had been brought forward in the last two budgets. Ruffin said the money was not spent because it was money potentially needed for other projects and told the board roofs and HVAC systems take priority over stadiums.
The total budget is an increase of $3.4 million from the current year estimated expenditures and asks for $5.1 million in capital funds.
The board voted 7 – 0 to send the budget to the County Commission, Jim Campbell and Janice Hampton were absent. The County Commission budget committee will be presented the budget on Friday.
Board members approved a school start schedule for next year. Middle and high schools will start at 7:15 a.m., elementary and kindergarten–eighth grade schools will start at 8:05, 8:15 or 8:30 a.m. They also approved a technology plan that will provide laptops next year to every eighth-grader, and adds one grade per year.
