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JOINT MEETING BUDGET, FINANCE & INVESTMENT COMMITTEE and HEALTH & EDUCTION COMMITTEE
May 9, 2003 6:00 P.M. Courthouse
MINUTES:
Budget & Finance Health & Education Board of Education Members Present: Members Present: Members Present: Others: Comm. Bob Bullen Comm. Bob Bullen, Chm. Ed. Jordan, Jr. Chm. Harry Gill Comm. Anthony Johnson Comm. Carol Cook Rick Wise Nancy Allen Comm. Will Jordan Comm. Trey Gooch Chris Wyre Elaine Cawthon Comm. Robert Peay Comm. Jeff Phillips Dorris Jernigan, Sr. Lisa Nolen Comm. Steve Sandlin Comm. John Rodgers John H. Jones Jeff Sandvig Comm. Doug Shafer Comm. Rick Sage Gary Patton Jennifer Farish Comm. Joyce Ealy, Chm. Comm. Dough Shafer Other Interested Citizens
Chairman Bullen and Chairman Ealy presided and called the meeting to order with all members being present.
Comm. Bullen asked Ms. Cawthon to inform the various committees regarding the sequence of events related to the LaVergne Middle School project. Ms. Cawthon stated that funding for the project has never been approved. Technically, the funding must be approved before the Board of Education can approve a contract. In the January budget committee minutes, the LaVergne Middle School project was discussed. Mr. Sandvig had stated that 5 million would be needed for excavation grading, foundations, site work, etc. By the end of March, 2003 the contract would be let and that the balance of the contract would be needed in fiscal 2004. The minutes do not reflect what that balance would be or when in 2004 the money would be needed. There was no motion made in the Health & Education Committee. Ms. Cawthon stated that $5 million has already been borrowed and that the 10.6 million placed in next year’s budget was an estimate made by the county finance department. She knew additional funds would be needed, but not a definitive number. She noted again that a formal request has never been made.
Mr. Patton stated that he understood the commission had committed to the project and that the balance of the project would be borrowed after July 1 so that the school could be completed by August, 2004. He thought the funding would be there by July 1. Comm. Bullen explained that the county had not intended to go back to the market until the spring of 2004.
Ms. Cawthon recommended to get through this year’s budget process, then once the project is approved and it is known exactly how much the project will cost we have the following options: the county could obtain variable rate financing, obtain a bond anticipation note internally, or use existing cash flow. Ms. Cawthon asked how much would be needed before the spring of 2004. It was determined to be 4-7 million.
HEALTH & EDUCATION COMMITTEE:
Comm. Shafer moved, seconded by Comm. Cook, to commit to the school board to complete LaVergne Middle and provide funding for the project.
The motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
BUDGET & FINANCE COMMITTEE
Comm. Ealy noted that the project has moved faster than was anticipated. She stated that a total amount of funding for the project must be determined. Ms. Cawthon noted that the budget committee had worked with the financial advisors and decided that the county could borrow about 30 million per year and that 10.6 million has been scheduled to be borrowed for this project next spring.
Mr. Sandvig presented the budget for the LaVergne Middle School project:
Architect $ 375,000
Engineering 125,000 May 9, 2003 6:00 P.M. Page 2
Construction 12,319,882 Furniture 425,000 Equipment 435,000 Technology 1,025,000 Other Capital 50,000 Other Capital Outlay 235,000 Land 1,895,000 17,585,000
Comm. Jordan moved, seconded by Comm. Shafer, to approve the budget for LaVergne Middle School as presented, funding to be obtained in a future bond issue.
Comm. Sandlin moved, seconded by Comm. Peay, to amend the motion and set the turn-key project, including furniture and fixtures, at $17,000,000.
The amendment passed by roll call vote, Comm. Shafer voting no.
The original motion passed unanimously by roll call vote.
Ms. Nolen presented information to the Board of Education concerning possible projects within the building program to fund the request for renovations to Central Middle School. She noted that because Central Middle School contains sixth grade, there is a sharing of funds issue with the City of Murfreesboro. The original request was $800,000. The Health and Education committee took out the funding for equipment and funded the project at $515,000 with $126,000 from furniture and equipment from Rock Springs Middle School and Blackman Middle School; $259,333 from Oakland/Riverdale HVAC and LaVergne roof project; and $129,667 from 2003 Elementary school improvements. The Board of Education will have to determine which elementary project would be delayed.
2003-2004 GENERAL PURPOSE SCHOOL FUND BUDGET REVIEW:
Mr. Sandvig began his presentation to the committees with trend information, comparing increases of local revenue in the County’s General Fund with the General Purpose School fund. Mr. Sandvig also explained how staffing has changed for the general fund and the school fund.
The 2003-2004 budget for General Purpose School fund was presented by Harry Gill, Superintendent and Jeff Sandvig. The budget was presented in a six-tier format. Each tier was explained to show the total cost and where the costs were distributed as summarized below:
2002/2003 Initial Budget $140,154,950
Changes to 2002/2003 23.5 positions, insurance, instructional fees, utilities & buses 2,627,177 2002-2003 Amended Budget 142,782,127
Minimum appropriations needed: 3.6 positions for full year, step raises, benefits, 30% increase for insurance 3,524,969 146,307,096 Tier 1 Additions 67.8 new positions & related benefits, bus, custodial & maintenance items, computer replacement 3,054,192 149,361,288 Tier 2 Additions Christiana Middle - 12.1 new positions & related benefits, utilities/phone, materials & supplies 722,663 150,083,951 Tier 3 Additions Siegel High – 49.4 new positions & related benefits, bus, Eagleville visitor seats, utilities/phone, supplies & materials 2,783,302 152,867,253
May 9, 2003 6:00 P.M. Page 3
Tier 4 Additions 5.2 new positions & related benefits, 2.5% local raises for classified staff, 2.5% raise for certified staff, substitute teacher raises ($3.75/day), 3% bus raise, audit fee, nurse station 1,717,544 154,584,797 Tier 5 Additions (eliminated) Tier 6 Additions 39.8 new positions & related benefits, other expenditures 2,629,513 157,214,310
Based on their presentation the Board of Education states that they would need 32.7 cents on the tax rate to adequately fund all tiers. In addition to the tiers, the Board of Education requested an additional $1,989,050 for the 9th and 10th grade technology program, to be funded with capital funds.
After the presentation, Comm. Bullen commended all the members and acknowledged the spirit of co-operation amongst the group.
There being no further business to be presented at this time, Chairman Bullen & Ealy declared the meeting adjourned at 8:00 P.M.
___________________________________________ Lisa A. Nolen, Secretary
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