The Clarke County Board of Education is set to vote on a $171 million dollar proposed budget this evening.
While the tentative budget doesn’t increase the millage rate, Board members are banking on continual growth in property values - a trend that has held steady, despite the economic fallout from the pandemic. The district is also expecting a slight increase in state funding in the next year.
Broadly speaking, expenditures are not expected to vary dramatically from last year’s budget. One new expense this year includes two $1,000 bonus payments to district employees, scheduled for December and May. That money is expected to come from federal aid passed in response to the pandemic.
If Board members pass the tentative budget tonight, the public will have a ten-day window - May 21st - 31st to comment on the proposed budget. The district is slated to hold two public meetings during that time. Board members are expected to vote on the budget again on June 10th.
Host outro - Board members are also expected to vote on a policy change that would affect how public input is given and accepted, the meeting can be viewed live at 6PM on the clarke county school district's youtube channel.
Anchor: Also tonight, ACC Commissioners are set to meet for a budget review session. Public input will not be a part of that meeting, but members of the public will have an opportunity to voice their opinions on the county’s budget at meetings on May 18th and June 1st.
Anchor (if there’s time): The first public comment opportunity was on Tuesday, but only two people addressed Commissioners.
