R-5 board OKs $22 million budget

By Ralph Pokorny

Nevada Daily Mail

The Nevada R-5 Board of Education voted unanimously to approve a $22 million budget for the 2012-'13 school year during their regular monthly meeting Wednesday night. Dr. David Stephens, R-5 superintendent, told the board that budget has a deficit of $243,000, which is better than he had projected earlier. The deficit will be made up from their reserves.

"We'll end next year with about 17.5 percent fund balance," Stephens said, adding that includes money left to the district by the Maxwells. The Maxwell money will be used to cover part of the construction costs of the performing arts building and multi-purpose building.

"Seventeen percent balance is enough money for 17 percent of one year's expenses," he told the board during a work session before the regular board meeting.

He said that while some districts will have fund balances as low as 2 percent, he always wants the R-5 district to have at least a 15 percent fund balance.

"Fifteen percent is healthy for the current financial state," Stephens said.

"By FY '14 the reserves will reflect that the Maxwell money has been used for construction projects," he said.

He said that of the $22 million budget, about 41 percent, or about $9 million comes from local taxes and another 43 percent comes from state funding.

About 3 percent of the funding, or $500,000, comes from county revenues and $2.5 million, or about 11.5 percent, comes from the federal government.

Dr. Tyson Beshore, R-5 assistant superintendent, told the board that they will be opening the bids from companies wanting the construction management contract for the upcoming construction of the performing arts center and a multi-purpose building, with a mid-October groundbreaking anticipated for both buildings.

Repairs to the tennis courts and Wynn Gymnasium roof and floor will be done this summer.

The board also approved the district's technology plan, which includes furnishing laptop computers for all high school teachers and students, over the next few years.

They also approved renewing the district's contract with the Vernon County Sheriffs Office for a school resource officer and three amendments to the 2012 budget.

During an executive session, the R-5 board accepted the resignation of Marty Atnip as high school social studies teacher, head baseball coach and eighth grade basketball coach.

They also approved hiring Danny Penn as the new high school head baseball coach. Penn has been the assistant baseball coach.

In other personnel actions the board accepted the resignations of: Beau Gulliford, sixth grade math, Angie Simmons, technology assistant.

They approved hiring the following: Kyle Talley, JV baseball coach, David Thompson, high school math, Valerie Hardy, Heartland para and Eric Fast, technology assistant.

The board also approved the following transfers: Jill Barrett, middle school math from Truman, Karen Cussimanio, grade 1 from Title, Dawn Arens, grade 5, from Title, Amanda Eaton, kindergarten from first grade, and Robin Williams, second grade from kindergarten.