KERENS–On June 20, Kerens Independent School District (KISD) trustees approved the district’s spending plan for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which starts July 1.
The budget’s total expenditures of $10,909,678 with revenue of $10,924,805 to put the district’s budget $15,127 in the black. Revenue comes from $4,617,241 of local and intermediate sources (which includes property taxes), $3,975,609 from state program revenue and $2,331,955 from federal program revenue. The largest item for expenditures ($4,606,989) is for instruction, which includes salaries and benefits.
The 2021-22 fiscal year’s budget as first adopted had $10,115,160 in revenue and $10,026,100 in expenditures. The revenue included $4,753,370 from local and intermediate sources, $3,538,215 from state program revenue and $2,331,955 from federal program revenue.
The school board also held a public discussion about Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) federal funding, which KISD Business Manager Jim Kendall said will be used mostly for payroll during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
KISD Director of Student Services and Operations Brad Atkeisson also reported that the school has signed a contract to acquire 7,500 gallons of diesel at a rate of $3.7721 per gallon. Superintendent Martin Brumit said diesel fuels most of the district’s school buses, that those 7,500 gallons should account for 75% of the district’s consumption for the next school year and that the district spent $2,640 per week on diesel during the 2021-22 school year.
The board also approved nine amendments to the 2021-22 budget totaling $283,498 to close out the fiscal year. The amendments dealt with subjects ranging from transportation to athletics. The athletics spending of $89,836 for new backstops at the district’s football and softball fields, a football practice sled and refurbishing the gymnasium floor was taken from the district’s fund balance and increased spending without corresponding increased revenue, Kendall said. The other budget amendments, he said, had corresponding revenue increases.
Another budget amendment related to reimbursement revenue of legal fees for considering applications for Texas Tax Code Chapter 313 property tax value limitation agreements for two solar farm projects. Brumit later said the developer pays for such bills, as well as those for financial analysis, which he said follows state law that districts can’t have any expenses for the application process.
Also, during a June 6 special meeting, trustees voted to accept an application for a tax value limitation agreement from Leeward Renewable Energy and to authorize Brumit to review the application and submit it to the state comptroller, as well as the ability to extend the deadline for school board action past the 150-day review period, if needed.
Leeward’s proposed alternative energy project would be the fifth such operation within Kerens ISD to fall under Chapter 313, if approved and constructed. Chapter 313 allowing property tax value limitation agreements is scheduled to sunset into termination at the end of the year.
In other business, the board:
• Approved updated compensation plans for the 2022-23 school year.
• Approved payments to Leon Alcala law firm and Jigsaw Financial Solutions for representing the district for alternative energy projects.
• Approved Update 119 to Texas Association of School Boards policy dealing with office and records management, professional development, basic instructional programming, curriculum design, special education, special programs, academic achievement, crisis intervention and student welfare.