Board of Education hears budget proposal
The Vestavia Hills Board of Education heard the first of two budget presentations at the Aug. 13 meeting.
Courtney Brown, the school’s chief financial officer, told the board the school is expecting a 3-percent increase in local revenue, gathered mostly from ad valorem taxes.
The school has $12 million in reserves, a conservative estimate, which equals two months of operational monies, double what the state requires. The largest expense is the $22 million transfer to capital projects for the new construction ahead of the 2019-20 school year.
Both Brown and Superintendent Todd Freeman touted the community’s involvement in the school system, as 96 teachers are funded entirely by local funds, and a little more than 50 percent of operations is locally funded.
The budget can be passed as early as Sept. 10.
Mold was found at the old Berry High School campus, soon to be Pizitz Middle School, and the board authorized an emergency contract with Lakeshore Environmental Contractors to take care of the problem. A representative with Hoar Program Management said the mold removal will move in conjunction with construction of the school for the 2019-20 school year.
Also at the meeting, the board recognized two students, Aaron Bard and Luke Byrd, who finished third in state and second at an international health science competition in the forensic science category, after taking classes in the subject.
The high school math team, which placed third in the national tournament, and had three first-place individual awards, was also recognized.
The board approved a change order in the contract for a new kitchen and cafeteria at West. The additional cost is roughly $80,000.
The board also put several board policies on the table, to be discussed and voted on at the Sept. 10 board meeting.
The board also approved several consent items:
- An 8th-grade girls’ choir performance at Mississippi State University; Sept. 9-10; estimated cost of $100 per student.
- A Pizitz cross-country team trip to Decatur from Oct. 5-6 for a meet; estimated cost of $2,000, $50 per student.
- A VHHS boys’ basketball trip to Gulfport, Mississippi for a tournament from Dec. 26 to Dec. 29; estimated cost of $6,500.
- A Liberty Park Middle School cross-country meet in Decatur from Oct. 12 to Oct. 13; estimated cost of $1,500, $35 per student.
- The disposal of several old Spanish textbooks at LPMS.