LOXLEY, Ala. – The Baldwin County Board of Education held a special meeting Tuesday from the auditorium of the Central Office in Loxley to pass its 2011-12 fiscal year budget with revenues and expenditures of over a quarter billion dollars.

“We believe this to be a conservative budget for the continued administration of our school system,” said Dr. Alan Lee, superintendent of Baldwin County Schools. “We think it is a solid budget and we certainly welcome any ideas on how to make it better.”

The special meeting was called to pass the 2011-12 budget before the Sept. 15 deadline and has total projected revenues of $257,762,597.86 including $108,918,577 in state revenues, $24,915,752.12 in Federal revenues and $121,788,278.09 in local revenues with other miscellaneous revenue sources of $2,139,990.65.

Expenses which include instructional services, instructional support services, operations and maintenance, auxiliary services, general administrative services, capital outlay and debt services, along with other miscellaneous expenses total $256,271,202.15. The budget also reflects a total of $13,827,602 in other fund sources and uses.

The total in surplus revenues for 2011-12 is projected at $1,491,391.71 with a beginning fund balance of $19,638,386.59 for an ending fund balance of $21,129,782.30.

The majority of the budget comes from the General Fund with total revenues of $204,745,295.74 including $103,441,385 in state revenues, $99,368,166.090 in local revenues and $1,935,744.65 in additional revenues. Expenses for the general fund are projected at $185,258,607.27.

Other fund uses of $13,827,602 were subtracted for a total surplus of $5,659,086.47, added to a beginning balance of $7,011,557.21 for an ending fund balance of $12,670,643.68.

Governmental funds include special revenues, debt services and capital projects. The special revenue fund includes $24,915,752.12 in Federal revenues, plus $20,794,936 in local revenues and $204,246 in other revenues for a total of $45,914,934.12 in total revenues with a total of $50,428,043.12 in expenses.

Other fund sources of $4,536,210 were added leaving a total surplus of $23,101 added to a beginning fund balance of $5,997,198 for a total fund balance of $6,020,299. Governmental funds also includes debt services of $9,297,392 with other fund sources of $9,291,392, an overage of $6,000 on a beginning fund balance of $600,000, leaving an ending fund balance of $594,000.

The capital projects fund is projected at $5,477,192 in revenues, all coming from the state with a total of $9,858,251.76 in expenditures for a total overage of $4,381,059.76. With a beginning fund balance of $5,515,853.38, the capital projects fund has an ending fund balance of $1,134,793.62.

The 2011-12 budget also reflects $1,625,176 in local revenues from a Fiduciary Expendable Trust with total expenses of $1,428,908 for a surplus of $196,268. The Trust has a beginning balance of $513,778 for an ending fund balance of $710,046.

Many of the Board members expressed concern over the lack of raises for employees. While state revenues reflect raises for certificated employees (teachers and administrators) no such allowances are made classified employees.

“I feel responsible for all of our employees, but particularly for our classified employees,” said Board member Tracy Roberts.

Jean McCutchen, director of Business and Finance for the County School System, said bonuses could be considered for classified employees at a later time.

Lee told Board members proration must also be considered when passing the budget.

“We made some hard choices on how we spend our money and that certainly doesn’t take away the pain of employees not receiving raises,” he said. State revenue numbers reflected a projected economic increase of 4.7 percent, but state economists are predicting an actual economic increase of only 1 to 2 percent. “That could mean a proration of 1 to 2 percent and if we’re looking at proration of 2 percent, that would be a little over $2 million.”