Charles City school board approves $10.1 million budget for FY2015-16

By Andre Jones | February 19, 2015 11:53 pm

Charles City school board members unanimously approved a $10.1 million budget pegged for the FY2015-16 fiscal year during the board’s Feb. 19 regular meeting.

The approval comes three weeks after a Feb. 3 public hearing in which only two people spoke. Among focal points of the budget include consolidation of schools, restoration of a nurse’s position, increasing the number of instruction days for students, and a two percent salary raise for school employees.

After reviewing superintendent of schools David Gaston’s proposal, school board members passed the document to be presented to the county’s board of supervisors.

In a separate matter, a public hearing on the school’s capital improvement plan garnered no speakers. The $1.1 million Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) recommended by Gaston for FY2015-16 is part of a six-year implementation of upgrades to school facilities, technology, and transportation. Of the proposed funding for this year’s CIP, approximately $540,000 is for replacement of six buses ($90,000 apiece). That amount sparked concern from school board at-large member Steve Fuhrmann.

“I’m uncomfortable with the amount of money we’re planning to spend on buses in this year’s proposal,” Fuhrmann said. “As I look down the line, in my estimation we will be asking for another large sum of money in 15 years to do the same thing.

“I would rather have us replace one bus a year,” he concluded.

District 3 representative Martha Harris expressed dismay about the lack of turnout at not only the CIP public hearing, but the school budget hearing as well.

“It’s scary when we don’t get a good turnout,” she said. “I want the public to come out and embrace what we do. I want them to have input and voice their opinions.

“I think a child’s education is extremely important,” she continued. “I just want parents to come out and show support for their children’s education and provide input and thoughts of what we can do to make this school system better.”

In one final action, Gaston announced tentative makeup days for students due to recent inclement weather. Per school board policy, the superintendent said the school year would be extended by one week, with elementary school classes concluding June 4, while middle and high school students will wrap up on June 5. High school graduation for seniors is still scheduled for May 29.