NASHVILLE – The Nash-Rocky Mount Board of Education passed portions of its proposed 2008-09 budget Monday night, giving the administration the go-ahead to present local budgets to the Nash County Board of Commissioners.
The $26.4 million local current expense budget includes the N.C. Department of Public Instruction's recommended 8 percent increase for teacher salaries and 5 percent increase for other nonadministrative staff.
The school board has deliberated over the budget since the middle of March with two topics of discussion being the amount of money appropriated from the fund balance – $2 million – and the budget's increase for fuel costs – $27,000.
The proposed current expense budget requests a 5 percent increase from both Nash and Edgecombe counties and a 57.5 percent increase from the city of Rocky Mount. In dollars, the increases equate to $19.7 million from Nash County, $2.5 million from Edgecombe County and $676,000 from Rocky Mount.
The proposed capital outlay budget has projected a $66,995 increase to $2.15 million. The state public school fund, which appropriates money for salaries, vocational programs, staff development, transportation and instructional needs, is expected to be more than $88.5 million.
Nash-Rocky Mount Public Schools still is awaiting allotments for the federal budget, Finance Officer Susan Blackwell said.
Also on the board's agenda were resolutions from the N.C. School Boards Association.
The board approved a resolution supporting a federal bill that would amend the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
House Bill 648 would address issues, such as school districts being labeled unfairly as well as certain unfunded mandates that fall under the original act, Chairwoman Evelyn Bulluck said.
Other resolutions discussed included giving school districts more flexibility with the school calendar – which passed 8-2 with board members Rick Horner and Cindy Berry voting against – and giving school boards taxing authority upon consent from the county commissioners – which failed 9-1 with board Vice Chairman Bob Jenkins giving the only "yes" vote.
Board member Jim Lilley did not attend the meeting.
