Baker OKs school budget
BAKER — In a split vote Tuesday, the Baker City School Board approved a $16.7 million budget for 2012-13.
Sales and use tax revenue was projected to drop to $3.03 million in 2012-13, down from $3.07 million in 2011-12, according to business manager Sidney Stewart.
Minimum Foundation Program funds should increase from $11.6 million to $11.7 million, Stewart said.
MFP funds make up 70 percent of the district’s budget. The state allocation is based on student enrollment with weights added for special-education needs and other factors, Stewart said.
The base rate is $3,855 per child per year, board member Elaine Davis said.
The MFP amount used in the budget was based on last year’s enrollment of 1,775, Stewart said.
“But we really won’t know the exact amount until Oct. 1,” Davis said.
MFP funds are allocated based on how many students are enrolled on that date, she said.
According to the budget document, costs for salaries and benefits should increase by 3 percent and 8 percent, respectively, in 2012-13.
The budget was in compliance with the state requirement that 70 percent of revenue must be spent on instruction, Stewart said. It calls for 78 percent of the budget be used for instructional expenditures.
“I’m not saying we will take in exactly this amount of revenue or spend exactly this much, but we expect to have a balanced budget,” she said.
Board members Davis, Shona Boxie and Dana Carpenter voted in favor of the budget.
Doris Alexander voted against the measure.
Troy Watson, who abstained from voting, questioned how the budget was prepared.
“It says here (on the budget document) that it was the Budget Fiscal Management Committee. What is that?” Watson asked.
“The staff submits the budget to the School Board periodically because we serve as the committee,” Davis said.
Other business conducted Tuesday included:
REDUCTION OF PERSONNEL: The board voted unanimously to approve a reduction in force policy in the event of a budget shortfall as required by Act 1 of the 2012 Legislature. The provision states teachers and administrators can only be laid off based on demand, performance and effectiveness.
Attorney Winston DeCuir said he added a provision for breaking a possible tie between personnel who might be deemed equally effective. If such a case occurred, he said, the employees would be evaluated, first by attendance and second by credentials.