BURTON TRUSTEES PASS BUDGET, TAX RATE IN DIVIDED VOTE
The Burton school board adopted its budget and tax rate for the new school year at Wednesday’s emergency meeting.
After much discussion at Monday night’s meeting, concerning salary increases for teachers and staff, the board agreed upon a $1,200 increase for all district employees to help with insurance costs.
In addition to this, teachers will be eligible to receive up to a $1,000 raise, based on the state pay scale.
Superintendent Dr. Edna Kennedy stated that these budget discussions weren’t being fair to teachers on Monday, but now they were being unfair to other employees. She said “everybody works hard in this district to keep us successful.”
Board President Demetrius Colvin stressed the importance of equality, saying “if you can’t give a raise across the board, then don’t give anybody one.”
When Board Member Tracey Cox asked why payroll numbers appeared different from Monday's budget presentation, Dr. Kennedy responded that the teachers that weren’t receiving anything were now getting their step raise, in addition to the $1,200.
Cox believed that teacher payroll numbers should only have gone up an additional $27,000 with the new raises, instead of the $85,000 increase that was presented. Instruction expenditures totaled $2,776,932 in Monday's presentation, as opposed to $2,857,745 in Wednesday's. Colvin replied that the new numbers factored in each employee and teacher.
When put to a vote, the budget passed 3-2-1, with Board Members Linda Hasten and Felton Cox voting against the measure. Tracey Cox abstained, saying she needed additional information.
Total budget receipts, accounting for local and state revenues, equal $6,045,086, with total expenditures at $6,258,822. This leads to a deficit of $213,736, but Dr. Kennedy assured the board that it has a fund balance of $1.3 million to cover the deficit.
She also expects the district to receive more money from the Texas Education Association for student enrollment. In addition, she noted that no additional budget cuts had been made since discussion on Monday.
The board also motioned to approve the same tax rate as previously discussed, at $1.17 per $100. This includes $1.04 for maintenance and operations, and $0.13 for debt services. Dr. Kennedy says the district expects to receive $107,029 in additional tax revenue this year, due to higher property values. The tax vote passed 5-1, with Linda Hasten voting against.
After the meeting, Dr. Kennedy said the board will likely begin looking at next year’s budget as soon as possible, since the process takes several months to complete.
Kudos to “Just Sayin”.
Nailed it.
It all goes back to leadership or the lack of it. Three pending issues out there. One is the budget process is flawed for two years in a row. Two is the complaints and on going remarks attacking Burton ISD employees and practices. Three is the Board taking no action on the contracts of all administrators. The superintendent is not on record of recommending for or against renewal.
Crickets….
Speaking as a taxpayer in Burton for the last 50 years (family is from Burton originally) while I do not “live” in Burton, I do have an interest in where my tax dollars are spent.
For me, the issue seems to be “THIS BOARD” simply stated! Make excuses how ever you choose but when ONE MEMBER of a board has VALID questions needing better explanation that a statement (it seems unverified from this article) then WHY ARE YOU VOTING and not answering those important questions? The LOGICAL answer would be provide better spreadsheets and reasons for increases and decreases (does not seem there were any from this article) before putting it to vote! Would you approve an increase in your monthly home bills without valid (verified) information being provided to substantiate the need for the increase?
As for distractions – that is an easy scapegoat! Seriously! If this board can not handle more than ONE TASK at a time and do it “RIGHT” then why is this a SCHOOL BOARD! They should be able to handle MANY issues – including complaints and budgets at the same time!
Stop making excuses for bad behavior and bad decisions – especially where MY MONEY is concerned!
And I disagree with ACROSS THE BOARD RAISES and shut up with the excuses it is difficult! EVERY person should be judged/evaluated on their merit/contributions/student engagement/and how the students faired in their classrooms from a grade point/testing side! That simple! We all know not every teacher is “good” or “great” or even as “horrible” as the other so why reward it that way!
Okay. Let’s put the blame where it belongs. The superintendents job is to create a working budget. From what I understand, she made many mistakes on the budget presented Monday night. Questions were raised on the 2nd budget presented Wednesday night. I applaud Tracey Cox for not voting on what she determined made no sense. Maybe they should all take that stand!! Rather have no one vote than to have them vote blindly. But again, superintendent needs to do her job!! Dipping into a reserve fund is not the answer!! Balance the budget, without robbing tax payers!! I don’t think anyone was distracted by all the complaints presented over the summer, since nothings been done about them!! Not one word on any investigation going on!! Seems like many changes need to be made-starting at the top!! Superintendent gets an enormous salary, hold her accountable and make her do her job!!
Fact is last year’s budget discussions began mid-June by the board.
Yes – Felton Cox’s censure, the protests and other complaints DID have an effect.
But I wish you’d be honest: if they didn’t give the raises you’d complain too. They simply put cannot win no matter what.
The kids suffer.
The rate same as last year, and many of those teachers live in Burton.
I do believe too many complained teachers not getting the raises last year too.
You are assuming they’re doing nothing on investigations.
Have you considered too they’re staying mum on the investigations due to LEGAL reasons that if released would give the accused means to get out of trouble?
Just saying (something you really need to think about).
Please make sense of it by explaining her strategy, or your option of what she was thinking. Seems to me if a second budget was presented, was different, and contained mistakes, it should have been unquestionably a “NO” vote. A “NO” vote is not voting blindly, It’s being responsible.That’s my expectations as a voter and taxpayer, be responsible. That’s what they are there to do! Instead, by not voting, She took away a 3-3 vote with the president forced to break a tie. She let that opportunity get by. Not voting, is away of not having any responsibility for the budget, an cop out. Had this scenario played out, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. It would have been put on the president.
Here’s another option, show up early and review the “proposed” budget before it’s presented so you can ask those questions and get answers before it’s put to a vote. One way or another their all putting their names on it. It’s kinda like a teacher making you check your work, if you don’t and there’s mistakes, you get the failing grade. I’m sure she gets it since she has a teaching background. Be accountable, don’t put the blame100% back on the Superintendent.(After all, the board is there to make sure she doing her job. If she’s not, they failed again.) It’s up to the board to approve the budget, and you better have an idea before the deadline!
Now, if there are mistakes, then the other three yes voters need to be questioned in the same regards. They do have more experience and should know better.
Everyone gets a raise no matter if there good or bad. Sounds a lot like everyone gets a trophy mentality!
I agree money was needed to cover their insurance cost, but we better see a lot of results for our tax dollars! After the issues over the summer, outside looking in, I’m not sure this was a good move this soon. The board has to regain the taxpayers trust. Perhaps it would have been better planned for 2019 budget. This was a rushed budget, and a board member that can’t vote for or against a budget because they need more information tells me someone failed. You basically ran out of time and were forced to do something before the deadline. Shame on you. This is not being diligent with our tax dollars.
As I said – a LOT of the problem I think
had to do with distractions: Felton Cox’s censure, accusations against the AD, other things that could’ve been delayed until start of the year.
I think they started earlier last year to boot. Even then it took forever because Hasten nitpicked everything as well as others no longer on board. (Tracey Cox not on board).
But in all honesty: it didn’t matter WHAT they did. The haters or ones *also* with an agenda not on board would complain.
They complain if all the teachers got a raise.
They all complain if the teachers did not (happened from what I read last year).
They’d complain if tax rate raised.
As it wasn’t, they complain it wasn’t to cover costs.
No one was going to win this decision BECAUSE of the distractions.
Everyone all sides lost this one, and they have themselves to blame.
Time to put distractions aside or learn proper time/place: this is what happens.
Wow Burton at its finest. Two that voted against and one that didn’t have personal agendas. Get ready Burton your protected shield is about to be blown away.
Good grief! Can you please get focused! This is your job!
Some of these board members just can’t seem to get it together. 5 members understood it, 3 voted for it, 2 objected to it, and one didn’t understand it. How can you let a school budget get passed if you don’t have all the information? If there was a question on the numbers, it should have been discussed before a vote was called. Not voting did the taxpayers no good, It only made it obvious that at least one board member doesn’t know what’s going on with our tax money (or everyone else on the board is clueless). Maybe, if these board members would be doing their jobs instead of creating issues, and head hunting administrators and faculty, they would have had more time to do a well thought out budget, that was made obvious by the statement of getting on next years budget ASAP.
Now lets discuss the tax rate. The two that voted against the budget campaigned on reducing our taxes. I respect Mrs Hastens for sticking to her word and being consistent when voting on the budget and tax rate (although I don’t always agree with her.). I’m at a loss for words with the other member that voted against the budget, but voted for the tax rate (once again, another let down.). It’s obvious that not a lot of time and attention was given to the budget, at least on a individual member basis. The timeline on this budget shows it was rushed to the last minute.
Some of you didn’t do a major part of the job you were elected to do. That’s disappointing, and I question your qualifications for this position. PLEASE, Do your job or get out.
Anyone want to consider PART of the reason for the nonsense is a few disgruntled folks stirring up stuff that has distracted the board from doing job?
Then again everything could go RIGHT snd there’d be complaints.
There would not be any disgruntled persons had the administration did their jobs properly.
This problem did not start this summer, but was years in the making.
Peace – to counter: if it was years in the making it should’ve been handled sooner than letting it build up.
I keep telling folks that – as this is common knowledge- if the AD was doing things against UIL rules (not following concussion protocol/doctor orders, forcing teachers to pass students, etc.) and the board turned a blind eye, they should’ve reported it to UIL.
From living in towns with a UIL investigation- I can say they’re handled QUITE fast.
But when I say that it’s deflected or I’m attacked, making me sincerely wonder if yours and others aims are true.
UIL is neutral – and if infractions found you can bet the AD, Sup and others would be fired/demoted/penalized.
The ball is in your court honestly.
Should have been handled sooner. YES. But, its difficult when the previous and current sups and admins aren’t motivated to handle it.
As with most conspiracies, once a crack developes, the flood soon follows.
It’s been well known for ages that the school board is weak.
But, if you know of anything, for the good of the kids, you should file a complaint, (anonymously, since you would most likely get the relatiation).
By the way, complaints have been filed with UIL, but the beauracracy wheel turns slowly, which is what the sups and admins count on.
And PART of those disgruntled folks are on the board. There by distracting themselves, and the rest of the board, ergo they are to blame… So if they’re doing RIGHT, they’re doing the job they were elected to do. Which,one of those jobs is to pass a proper budget. Like I said, if you can’t do that, you need to go.
News Flash!
Mad Taxpayer is running for school board, because he/she has all the answers.
By the way, the tax rate remained the same. Property values continue to increase. So, maybe we should have a Mad County Tax Assessor.
“Board President Demetrius Colvin stressed the importance of equality, saying “if you can’t give a raise across the board, then don’t give anybody one.” It is statements like this that explains why public education is a in a huge mess. We micromanage teachers who are trained professionals, and then we give them “across the board” raises without regard to their individual performance. It is time to start looking at results and not a treating everyone the same. Results matter!
Very difficult to do. So many variables. Students don’t come to teachers like sides of beef into a butcher shop. Each and every child is different, while EVERY hindquarter is the same as any other.
Kids aint hamburger.
Wow!! If the 5 readers who commented previously think that it’s as easy as they want to make it appear, maybe they should run for a place on the school board. I bet that they would have it so that no teacher, administrator,or any other faculty member received a raise, regardless of ( insert anything here ) a lot of talk from people who” look in from the outside.” Unbelievable!
Former Student, I hope you’re not referring to me.
I know it’s difficult to make those decisions.
Many commenting here are I dare say rabble rousers who refuse to say anything positive about Burton.
They expect things done quick not right: which is also known as a lynch mob (mentality).
In all honesty: these same folks complained when last year about them not getting raises, now they are.
They’re never going to be happy.