By ALICIA LEONARD
The Walton County School Board (WCSB) held their second regularly scheduled meeting for the month of September in the DeFuniak Springs office, due to a public hearing being scheduled for the final adoption of the 2015-2016 budget and millage. A workshop to discuss the five-year facilities plan followed immediately after.
The board with all members present convened at 5 p.m. on Sept. 15, and moved quickly through the opening agenda with no opening announcements, a unanimous approval of the agenda before them and the adoption of prior minutes from the Sept. 1 meeting. Board chair Gail Smith called for public comments and with none forthcoming, moved onto the scheduled public hearing for the adoption of the final millage and budget for fiscal year 2015-2016.
Chief Financial Officer Debra Noyes went over a presentation for the board outlining the same figures as discussed in earlier meetings. The final millage presented to the board was 5.3480 mils.
Out of the Operating Budget which came in at $76.4 million, close to 80 percent went to instruction covering salaries, wages, and benefits for the district. Noyes told the board an expanding cost the district is seeing is in the area of technology. “From an expenditure standpoint, technology continues to grow,” Noyes said.
Capital Outlay projects brought in another $20 million added to an ongoing project list.
The district has rebounded from any fund balance issues from the year prior. After expenses the unassigned fund balance came in a little over $6 million. Operating budget expenditures for the district increased 5.7 percent over last year’s total operating costs.
In total, with all other sources of revenue and transfers, the board unanimously approved a budget that came in at $139.4 million according to the presentation for the fiscal year 2015-2016, .
The board followed by approving the annual financial report for the fiscal year 2014-2015, as well as approving personnel recommendations and a construction change order for Walton Middle School that removed $1.4 million in costs from the original construction orders.
The board approved a public hearing at 5:15 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2015, and to advertise said hearing on student progression plan additions or changes. They also approved a workshop for Oct. 20 at South Walton High School at 4 p.m. to discuss student growth in the district.
Director of Facilities for the district Mark Gardner along with Facilities Planner Tom Blackshear presented an information-only update on the five-year facilities work plan.
The work plan highlights information such as demographics, revenue, plans coordinating with local government to determine potential growth impacts, projected major repairs, renovations or new construction, and to show that the Capital Outlay budget is prepared annually and financially feasible.The plan has to be submitted to the Florida Department of Education by Oct. 1, 2015.
One of the biggest surprises came from the estimation of growth trends in Walton County. Although the board is used to an ever expanding pool of students in the south end of the county, with 82 percent of new housing developments being south of Choctawhatchee Bay, the district saw an increase of 158 students enrolled in north Walton Schools. From May to September 2015 a total of 517 students were added to school rolls in the county. District wide growth expectations are believed to increase to a little over a 1,000 extra students attending Walton Schools by the 2019-2020 school year.
The plan also showed that construction, with the board’s approval, might begin on the donated Hammock Bay property in the 2017-2018 school year.
The workshop was for information only for the board to consider, and more discussion will take place at a workshop on Oct. 20 at 4 p.m. at South Walton High School before the regular board meeting. The board will be focusing on how to best accommodate growth on the south end of the county, and what type of school might be needed most for that area.
To see the growth plan, go to www.walton.k12.fl.us/facilities-department and click on the five-year Facilities Work Power Point presentation.
To see more information about the district or upcoming meetings and events, go to www.walton.k12.fl.us.
