USD 235 to mull over financial issues during Monday meeting

UNIONTOWN -- The USD 235 Board of Education plans to crunch some numbers on Monday.

The seven-member board, along with U-235 Superintendent Randy Rockhold and other school officials, will discuss and review the district's nearly $4 million budget for the 2007-'08 school year, during the board's regular meeting scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Uniontown Junior Senior High School commons area, 601 Fifth St.

During the budget hearing, the board will also field any questions from the public concerning the district budget, the planned use of all district funds, and the amount of tax to be levied. Detailed budget information will be available at the hearing, and can also be obtained by calling the board office at (620) 756-4302.

After review, the board will vote on approval of this year's budget, which contains a little more than $3.9 million in expenses, almost $200,000 more than the district spent last year. Budgeted expenses include about $720,000 through the district's local option budget, a local funding option from property tax that is equal to about 30 percent of a district's general fund budget.

LOBs allow certain school districts to receive local money that is used to help districts operate more efficiently.

The district's current mill levy is 20 mills, and the budget also includes a little more than $237,000 in local taxpayer money this year. That mill levy did not increase from last year, Rockhold has said.

In other business Monday, the board plans to conduct the following business:

* Consider the resignation request of current board member Jeanne Camac. The board will also consider adopting a resolution to fill the vacant board position, and a plan to advertise the vacant seat.

* Consider the approval of Kansas Association of School Boards-recommended board policies.

* Hire Loretta George and Melinda Tinsley as teacher aids in the district's at-risk program.

* Consider approval of the July treasurer's report.

* Hear administrative reports from West Bourbon Elementary School Principal Marianna Daugherty and UJSHS Principal Tracy Smith.

* Designate a board member to be the district's governmental relations contact for the upcoming school year. Camac had previously served in that position.

* Consider approval of a plan to expend or refund donations to the district's baseball and softball programs; two athletic programs that were approved by the board in April after several months of debate and review by the board, parents and coaches, local residents, teachers and other school officials since October. Both programs will cost between $25,000 and $30,000 to implement. A group of local citizens and parents are soliciting funds to pay for the programs first year, officials said. The programs are scheduled to begin in February 2008.

There is no further action scheduled for the meeting.