Schools spend more than they get
By Arthur McLean
Editor

For the third year in a row, the Thomasville City Schools system's expenditure exceeded its revenues.

The system spent approximately $204,000 more than its revenues for the 2006 fiscal year, according to financial reports presented by the school system's financial officer, Linda McGhee.

McGhee said the schools have more personnel working than is currently funded through the state and federal funding formulas, which is leading to the yearly deficits.

The school system still maintains a positive fund balance of $1.1 million and more than $1 million of that fund balance is unreserved.

The system is carrying debt on two school buses and its obligation to give the City of Thomasville 50 percent of its sales tax revenue for construction bonds were the only debt on the books.

The construction bonds were taken out by the city to pay for school buildings. The system is obligated to pay the city half of its sales tax revenue to help pay for the bonds.

But McGeeh reported the city recently refinanced all of its bonds under a single note. While the combined bond payout was extended 20 years, the school's obligation to the city ends in 2017, 20 year after the construction bond was issued.

In personnel moves, the board approved the hiring of a full-time substitute teacher to assist the high school's band director through May.

When asked about the hiring, superintendent Vic Adkison said that with the number of band students at the school, an assistant was preferred to help. Adkison also said he would like to see an assistant band director type of position to help with the middle school music students.

There are currently more than 60 band members.

Other personnel decisions included approval of a coaching stipend for Maxine Lange for coaching volleyball in place of LaTonya Woods, who was severely injured earlier this year. Karen Clayton was hired to work at TMS.

Adkison reported on meetings with the state school board, saying schools are requesting money to help with the upkeep of distance learning equipment in the schools. Adkison also reported that school systems are concerned that the state has not increased funding to pay for additional teacher days this school year.

School system representatives will be participating in an Alabama Communities of Excellence meeting Nov. 30.

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