School board sets budget

By Erin McGrath

Published: April 23, 2008

The Nelson County School Board finalized their $23.6 million budget for the 2008-2009 school year after cutting an additional $364,687 at their April 10 meeting.

The original amount for the proposed 2008-2009 school year budget was $24.7 million, roughly $1.7 million more than the 2007-2008 budget.

“This has been the most challenging budget year I have had since I began my administrative career,” Superintendent Roger Collins said.

To meet the monetary constraints, the school board cut almost $194,000 worth of new initiatives and high-priority items, including a wrestling program, $20,000 in support for fine arts and athletics in the schools, a new Web site design, a full-time athletic director position and repairing steps at Nelson County High School.

The school board also adopted more than $170,000 worth of staff reductions and adjustments to help balance this year’s budget.

Fuel costs were also adjusted to $3.25 per gallon in the 2008-2009 school year budget, adding more than $120,000 in additional expenditures.

“This one item severely impacted our ability to fund high priority and new initiatives,” Collins said.

Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Human Resources Shannon Irvin gave the school board updates from the General Assembly on funds incorporated into the local school system’s budget.

Irvin said the General Assembly cut the amount the school board is required to contribute to the Virginia Retirement System by three percent on March 25.

Employees were also given a two percent raise for the cost of living adjustment instead of the initially proposed four percent.

The school board will meet again on May 8 at 6 p.m. The school system will likely receive $11.2 million from the county, which will hold a public hearing on the county’s budget on May 13 at 7:30 p.m.