By Cathy Higgins
BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Baldwin County Board of Education’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year could be shaved significantly.
During the board’s finance hearing Thursday, Chief School Finance Officer Jean McClutchen proposed a budget of $255,000,304. That’s $14 million less than $269,566,544 for the 2011 fiscal year.
“Our budgets have drastically changed in the last three years,” she told the board.
McClutchen explained that those changes include a reduction in federal funding. In the upcoming fiscal year, the county system will receive $23,772,478. McClutchen’s figures indicates that will be a loss of more than $17 million.
But some of that will be made up by local revenue.
“We have an increase in sales tax,” McClutchen said, citing a $3 million spike in the amount to be received.
Additional revenue will help, as well.
“We have an increase in state funding,” McClutchen said, explaining that the school system will receive a $7.6 million increase in state revenue.
The board has also reduced its debt by paying off loans made for Bay Minette Middle and Spanish Fort High schools.
The budget also proposes reinstating funds for band, athletic and choral programs, which had been removed from the budget in 2009.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Alan Lee expressed his support of the reinstatement.
“It would make all the difference,” he said, explaining that such programs benefit students.
District 6 representative Bob Callahan asked McClutchen to consider the cost of budgeting step raises for employees.
The board will hold a second finance hearing on Sept. 13. To review the proposed budget, visit
www.bcbe.org and click on Business & Finance in the left margin, then Forms & Documents and Budgets.
