The Botetourt Board of Supervisors will take public comments on the proposed $96.98 million FY19 budget Thursday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at Greenfield Education and Training Center.
The proposed budget for fiscal year 2018-19 (FY19) that starts July 1 is $1.86 million or 2 percent more than the current approved budget. No tax rate increases are proposed with the budget.
Most of the increase in the FY19 budget will go to the school division or to pay debt on the new elementary school that will be built in Blue Ridge.
County tax revenue is expected to be $51.3 million, up $873,575 or 1.7 percent, from the current fiscal year. State revenue is expected to be down very slightly to $10.86 million, while federal revenue will be up $208,740 to just over $1 million.
Overall, there’s a 1.7 percent increase.
The budget includes a 2 percent cost of living adjustment for county employees beginning July 1, and funds for compensation adjustments that will be based on a salary study. Those adjustments are expected to go into place in the second half of the fiscal year.
The budget includes $24.5 million in local funds for the county school division’s $58.24 million. That includes a $310,000 increase in local funds for school operations.
The school division’s proposed budget includes a one step adjustment for all teachers and classified personnel that amounts to a continuation of corrections for certain employees who did not get step corrections over the past several years, and a 2 percent increase in administrative staff salaries.
The school budget also adds a Student Assistance Program (SAP) counselor position rather than having that service contracted out, adds a speech position, the county’s share of three additional positions at the Jackson River Governor’s School, putting bus drivers on five-hour contracts instead of four hours, an adjustment for employees at the top of the pay scales, an increase in health insurance costs and funds for lease-purchase of five new buses.
The School Board learned last week that the anticipated increase in health insurance costs may not materialize, although that contract does not renew until the fall.
Neither the county budget nor the school budget is solid, though.
The Board of Supervisors and School Board are still waiting on the General Assembly to approve an FY19 state budget. The General Assembly met last week in a called session to continue work on the state budget, but came to no agreement.
