BURTON SCHOOL BOARD REVIEWS BUDGET PROJECTIONS
The Burton School Board held a workshop on Tuesday to review current budget conditions and see how the upcoming fiscal year’s budget is shaping up.
Burton ISD Business Manager Caitlyn Blakey-Staal first showed trustees the district’s expectations for how this year’s budget will close out. Thus far, general fund revenue totals $11.34 million and looks to add another $90,000 through investment interest and possible tax payments. Meanwhile, general fund expenditures to date are $6.52 million with another $5.01 million expected, mostly by way of recapture payment to the state, payroll costs, utilities, custodial services and fuel.
With expenses currently projected to exceed revenue, the district anticipates it will need to take approximately $107,821 from the general fund balance to close out the budget. Blakey-Staal said the district has $4.16 million in its fund balance to cover the shortfall.
Blakey-Staal said several unbudgeted expenses contributed to the present situation, including some new positions, insurance claims from storm damage, maintenance costs, bus repairs, and the costs associated with the superintendent search.
Discussion then moved into next year’s budget projections. As of now, the proposed budget sits at $15.17 million, made of up $11.95 million in general fund appropriations, $421,200 in food service and $2.79 million in debt service. The total adopted budget for the 2023-24 year was $15.27 million.
Trustee Mike Clyde asked if the proposed budget provides for any increase in employee salary. Blakey-Staal said it currently does not, as Burton ISD is “having to run it pretty tight” like many other school districts. Trustee Dean Fuchs said teachers would still receive their step increase.
Blakey-Staal did say that she wants to circle back with the board on the budget in early August, as they will have a better idea of its standing once certified values come in from the Washington County Appraisal District tomorrow (Thursday). Once that happens, the certified values will be sent to the Texas Education Agency, who will then give Burton the maximum compressed tax rate it can use. She said the district will go from there to see if that rate can support the proposed budget.
Fuchs said given the circumstances that the district faced this past year, he is “pretty satisfied with where we’re at” in terms of overall condition. Clyde said he wants to try to get the district’s salary schedule closer to where it should be, as many of Burton’s neighbors are paying higher, referencing the results of a salary survey shared with the board last month. Fuchs said they have a starting point, but still have work to do.
Click here to view the budget presentation on Tuesday. (Note: Blakey-Staal corrected the figures shown on page 2, under "Amount Expected from Fund Balance". The figure for 4 months of operating expenses should read $3,847,856.)