The Carroll County School District approved its new 2020-2021 budget, which will include a four percent increase in funding from Carroll County.
Brett Reynolds, business manager for the district, told the Carroll County Board of Trustees, administrators, and those in attendance that the increase is needed. Reynolds said the district has a negative fund balance of $278,000.
Reynolds said because the county has seen a four percent decrease in its timber revenue, there may be an increase in ad valorem taxes.
“I’m not sure what the supervisors are going to do; the county taxes may go up,” he said.
Reynolds said that it wasn’t the district’s call. However, the district needs the increase to balance its budget and stay afloat.
Reynolds said the increase will be slight, using a home valued at $50,000 as an example, he said the person will pay $7.75 more annually. However, he said that Carroll County is about see new revenue with the construction of Delta’s Edge Solar Farm.
“It’s going to be very good for us, and we may not have to ask for anything anymore,” Reynolds said. “In the next two-and-half-years, three max, we should be back comfortable.”
He said for those wanting to know how the increase will affect them to multiply the assessed value of their home by .00155.
He said if the district did not improve the increase, it may see more cuts just to balance things out.
“We don’t need to cut anymore positions,” Trustee Bill Downs said.
Trustee John Phillips said he had no idea that the school district had 11 outstanding loans.
“We’re pretty close to paying off a big one, aren’t we?” Wiltshire asked.
“We’ll pay one off in February, and it’ll be a major one,” Reynolds said.
Wiltshire took a roll call for the vote.
“Beat 1 what’s your vote?”
“My vote is no. I’m not giving myself a raise!” DeLoach said.
“A raise?”
“Yeah, I’m not giving myself a raise in taxes, I’m not doing that!” DeLoach said.
The board passed the vote, 4-1.
