Director of schools, Jason Vance, presented his proposed thirty-five million dollar budget to the board at last Thursday's meeting. The new budget will provide more than $700,000.00 in new spending for employee raises. This includes a 2.5% raise and a step raise for all certified employees and a step raise for all noncertified employees. However all but $260,000.00 of those raises will be offset with savings achieved by reduction in staff, additional state funding and other reductions in spending according to Vance.

Board members voted to take the $260,000.00 needed to fill the budget deficit from the boards nearly four million dollar fund balance rather than asking the commission for any additional funding.

Vance will be presenting the boards adopted budget to the county commission budget committee next week. Commission will ultimately vote to approve or reject the boards adopted budget.