The Haywood County Board of Education met in special session on Wednesday, July 23, at 3 p.m. to consider the budget that Superintendent Teresa Russell and CFO and Deputy Superintendent Vincent Harvell will present to the Haywood County Commission Budget Committee for its final approval.

Board members received copies of the budget document, and Mr. Harvell went through it with them, explaining all sources of revenue and total costs for the school system for the 2014-15 school year.

Superintendent Russell and Mr. Harvell had previously met with the budget committee and presented the school system’s figures, asking them for the difference between the anticipated revenues and expenses. According to Mr. Harvell, the total budget is $24,820,533. A total of $627,179 is needed to balance the school’s budget.

Of the $24,820,533 cost to provide education to Haywood County children, the county provides $5,704,124 from property tax and sales tax revenue that is designated for education and from state revenue sharing. The rest comes from state and federal funds. The county has said they will give the school system an extra $166,000 for heating units, an HVAC system at Haywood Elementary and the server for the schools’ communication system. The balance needed, $461,179, will be taken from the system’s fund balance, which is currently $3,053,000.

There are no raises for employees in the budget, but the Superintendents asked the county budget committee to include school personnel if the county decides to give raises to its employees. Mr. Harvell said that the school system ended the 2013-14 school year with about $25,000 left over in the General Purpose account.

At the July school board meeting, Mr. Harvell reported that insurance premiums will increase for teachers who do not select to change to other less expensive plans, and insurance is now available to all school employees who work 30+ hours.

School begins Monday, July 28, for teachers and other employees, and for students the following Monday, August 4. The next school board meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 12.