The Cullman City School Board heard a proposal for next year’s budget during the first of two Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Hearings Monday evening, but there aren’t many changes from last year’s budget.

City Schools Chief Financial Officer Russell Raney presented the budget proposal to the board, and said the projected revenues and expenditures are close to the FY 2019 budget.

The proposed budget has around $27.78 million in revenue from state, local and federal sources, and around $25.98 million in expenditures for the system. The ending fund balance for the system on Sept. 30, 2020 is projected to be around $6.54 million, which represents around 2.9 months of operating expenses.

There is around a 2.6 percent increase in revenues and a 2.7 percent increase in expenditures from last year’s budget, but most of that can be accounted for in the 4 percent employee pay raise that was passed by the state legislature earlier this year, Raney said.

“It’s a nice, healthy budget,” he said. “And other than the 4 percent, there’s not a lot of change from the prior year.”

The board will have its second FY 2020 budget hearing on Sept. 17, when the board will take action on the budget during its regular meeting that same night.

During the board’s regular meeting, Cullman High School senior Grant Holland was recognized after receiving a Superior rating for Solo Musical Performance at the International Thespian Festival.

Theatre sponsor Wayne Cook said Holland was up against around 5,000 other people in the international competition, and he was happy to see his student come away with accolades.

“To get this honor is a pretty big deal,” he said. “And we’re very proud of him and his ability to do that.”

Cullman High School, East Elementary, West Elementary, Cullman City Primary School and the system’s Central Office were also the recipients of Cullman County People Against a Littered State Beautification Awards, with Cullman City Primary School also receiving second place for primary/elementary schools in the PALS Clean Campus Award.

In other business, the board: 

Approved July 2019 payroll of $2,045,353.23, invoices paid of $613,981, financial statements and bank reconciliations.

Approved the following Head Start items: Expenditures Report for July 2019.

Gave permission to surplus/salvage the following items from West Elementary School: ELMO overhead projector, 13 assorted chairs, two tables, two sofas and one metal cabinet.

Gave permission for CHS FFA to attend the National FFA Convention and National Forestry Judging Career Development Event in Indianapolis, Indiana from Oct. 28 through Nov. 2.

Approved Change Order #1 to Alabama Roofing and Sheet Metal Company, Inc. for the Cullman Middle School Partial Roof Restoration Project.

Gave permission to increase the hourly rate for substitutes for support positions from $7.25 per hour to $8.50 per hour.

Gave permission for Cullman City Primary, East Elementary and West Elementary to change report card dates on the 2019-2020 school calendar. Change from Nov. 4 to Nov. 12 and from Feb. 18 to Feb. 25.

Gave permission for Cullman City Primary School to adopt Flyleaf Publishing Emergent Reader Series for kindergarten and Reading Series One for first grade.

Gave permission to enter into a contract with North Alabama Agriplex to provide curriculum and instruction at outdoor classrooms at East Elementary, West Elementary and Cullman City Primary School beginning Aug. 1 and ending July 31, 2020.

Gave permission to enter into a contract with North Alabama Volleyball Officials Association to provide officiating duties during the 2019 volleyball season.

Approved a memorandum of agreement between the 32nd Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office and Cullman City Schools, effective Oct. 1.

Approved Interpreter Services Agreement between Cullman City Schools and the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind Huntsville Regional Center beginning Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

Gave permission to contract with Jonathan Peyton to provide network support and computer/technology support and maintenance (not to exceed 19.5 hours per week) beginning Aug. 1 through July 31.

Gave permission to provide a one-time administrative fee to be split between Lois Lay and Russell Raney for the processing of PEEHIP refund checks (paid 100 percent with funds received from RSA/PEEHIP for processing refund checks).

Approved the following personnel considerations:

Corrected 2019-2020 CCS Athletic and Band Supplement Schedule.

Transfers

Joy Kilgo, transfer from secretary/bookkeeper at Cullman High School to Accounts Payable bookkeeper at Central Office, effective Aug. 19.

Karol Kilpatrict, transfer from secretary/receptionist at Cullman High School to secretary/bookkeeper at Cullman High School, effective Aug. 19.

Leaves of absence

Katie McGee, English teacher at Cullman Middle School, requesting Family and Medical Leave tentatively beginning Dec. 16 through March 22.

Amanda Tanner, Title reading teacher at Cullman City Primary School, requesting one day unpaid leave of absence on Jan. 16.

Unpaid medical leave

Elizabeth Parker, Extended Day Program teacher at East Elementary School requesting unpaid medical leave beginning Aug. 20 through Nov. 15.

Employments

Katie Jackson, secretary/receptionist at Cullman High School, effective Aug. 21.

Alisha Waugh, temporary first grade teacher (to fill a leave of absence) at Cullman City Primary School beginning Jan. 3 through the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year.

Patricia Marie Johnson, temporary Head Start teacher (to fill a leave of absence) at Cullman City Primary School beginning Aug. 21 through Dec. 6.

Supplement resignation

Jonathan Romine, varsity assistant football, effective Aug. 12.

Supplement

Shannon Fondren, varsity assistant football, effective Aug. 12.

The Cullman City School Board will hold its second and final FY 2020 Budget Hearing in the Central Office Board Room on Sept. 17 at 4 p.m., with the board’s regular meeting following at 5 p.m.