The Lingleville ISD School Board passed a balanced budget and tax rate during a special meeting Thursday, Aug. 28.
“With lots of magic and the help of Region XII [Education Service Center], we are still one of the few schools that will pass a balanced budget next year,” said LISD Superintendent DeeCee McDougal.
The superintendent said the largest increase in the $4.2 million budget were the raises for all the teaching staff, which was mandated by the state and partially funded.
The new budget also includes an extra $125,000 as the school is continuing to provide free lunches.
“Everything else is really fairly similar,” McDougal said.
This budget is based upon a tax rate of $ .8664 per $100 valuation ($.61890 for maintenance and operations and $.24750 for interest and sinking). This is reduced from the last year’s tax rate of $.9144.
A public hearing was held on this new rate with no public comments issued.
One of the only questions on the new budget pertained to approved expenses from last year that hadn’t fully been paid, including the new bus that is set to arrive near the end of September/beginning of October.
McDougal responded that these expenses will be amended from last year into the new budget by auditors.
Boardmember Andrew Grimm also asked about budgeting items to be proactive. McDougal said the district is considering some items including a rotation schedule for buses. She also said they are monitoring a state bill in the special session that would cap school spending at 108% from the previous year.
She said if that passed, the district might be looking at projects that need to be done so as not to be restricted the following year. Boardmembers remarked how difficult that might be on smaller schools if they are hit with unforeseen expenses such as air conditioners or wells breaking down.
The budget and tax rate was approved by all present. Monte Williams and Jay Procter were absent.
Board members also approved 2024-25 budget amendments, moving $25,000 unspent from the cafeteria balance and pulling in funds from the general fund to items like instruction after the district received $46,000 less than budgeted from the state.
McDougal also got to present the happy news that the district got a perfect 100 score on its Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) rating from Texas Education Agency.
The board also accepted a contract with Texans for Excellence in Education to handle insurance for the district with McDougal saying the group has been growing for several years and offers everything Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) offers but for $13,974 less. The contract also includes online training for board members in earning their annual accredited hours.