Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

School struggles with budget

Gurdon's School Board met in regular session Tuesday night and was told the budget is tight but the district may come out with the $500,000 in reserve to start the next year.

Superintendent Bobby Smithson said the remainder of the school year's operating funds, for May and June, is $2,278,089, but additional revenues coming in should still leave the school in the acceptable range of reserve money.

"We have about a $6 million budget, so our contingency fund should be in the 10 percent range, that is close to $600,000," he said.

"With rising gas and oil costs, we may have to not go as many places as the students want to next year, but I will avoid telling them no until the finances make me say no."

Moreover, Smithson went over the expenses and revenues involved in the recently completed Gurdon Primary School pavilion.

The biggest expense was the building and its erection, which the school paid Terry Hughes $16,445; the sidewalk, Alvin Eatman, $645; gravel for base, Mike McKenzie, $65; loading gravel, Billy Francis, $180; top soil around building, Randy Clark, $40; for a total cost of $17,375.

Smithson said the expense was met though donations and school monies with International Paper donating $7,500; an ABC grant, $1,300; a Cabe grant, $2,150; the school district, $3,500; and the primary school conduit, $2,925, to cover the entire bill of $17,375.

Smithson said of the pavilion and playground, designed for Pre-K and kindergartners, "This is really nice. I encourage everyone to go by and see it."

In other business, Smithson said the school had been contacted by JROTC in regard to setting the program up for next year.

Smithson told the Board he still did not foresee having the $61,000 to set the program up, at least not in time to proceed for the upcoming school year.

He said Gurdon may be getting additional funding of $295,200 from National School Lunch Aid because of more children being eligible for free or reduced meals.

In April 2004, the legislature approved new funding for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, as indicated by eligibility from free or reduced priced meals reported on Oct. 1 of each year.

The level of funding is based on a percentage of eligible students who are identified who attend the school district.

Smithson said Gurdon's school had less than 70 percent of the student population who qualified for these funds for the current year. The percentage created $480 for each student.

Smithson said, "We have reached the 70 percent level during the third quarter, and will receive $960 for each identified student.

"Our school district received $261,600 for the current school year. If we remain at 70 percent, we should get an additional increase of the $295,200."

Smithson said he will recommend the potential financial increase to be earmarked to school instructional improvement.

In other business, the Arkansas School Boards Association has sent certificates to Gurdon School Board members Mark Sandford and Todd Clark, acknowledging the completion of 15 hours and six hours, respectively, for in service training.

As to the school improvements required in the latest legislative session, Smithson said Gurdon is not on any alert lists, "and I do not see them asking us to do much of any improving during this upcoming year."

"The major money is being spent on leaky roofs and such, which we don't have any. Our needs are in their categories three and four, and I don't anticipate them getting to the small items very quickly, as the budget is only $1.8 million.

"However, we want to comply and stay off their alert list. We will do everything we can to meet what they ask because schools on the list are getting their superintendents and School Board members fired within two years in some cases."