PORT TOWNSEND — The Port Townsend School Board has unanimously approved a $14,715,437 budget for the 2015-16 school year that provides funding for all-day kindergarten.
“I’m as comfortable as I can be with this right now,” said Amy Khile, the school’s finance director, on Monday night.
“It takes into account all of the state’s new requirements.”
The requirements include a 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase for all employees and funding for all-day kindergarten.
The new budget is an increase of $759,717 over the previous year’s budget of $13,955,720.
The district’s projected enrollment for the next school year is 1,163 students.
State allocations to school districts are based on enrollment.
Last year’s amount was $5,835 per student. This year’s amount has yet to be determined.
Khile said the budget numbers were developed using estimates provided by the state as to what the numbers were expected to be.
While the budget is approved by the board, it is characterized as “draft” until it is approved by the state, Khile said.
This can’t be accomplished until the state updates its online tools to allow proper entry of the budget data, she said.
The greatest portion of the $14,372,964 operating budget comes from the state general purpose fund — 51 percent — followed by local taxes, 23 percent; state special purpose, 15 percent; federal sources, 9 percent; and local non-tax sources, 2 percent of the general fund, or $7,439,380.
Addition revenues are local taxes, $3,380,678, or 23 percent; state special purpose, $2,096,402, or 15 percent; federal sources, $1,226,938, or 9 percent; and 2 percent, or $350,550, originating from local non-tax sources.
The greatest single budget line item is $11,428,220 for staffing costs.
At Monday’s meeting, the board also discussed the replacement of Holley Carlson, former board chairwoman, who resigned June 7.
The board put out a notice requesting applicants and received only one. That person was found to be living outside the district, according to district secretary Mary Colton.
The application period is open until Aug. 7, with a replacement required to be named by Sept. 5.
The board will choose a replacement for Carlson from applications received, and the appointee will fill the remainder of Carlson’s term, which expires in January 2018.
A strategy for naming a new board member if no one applies has not been determined, Colton said.
Each School Board member represents a specific geographical district.
Applicants for Carlson’s seat must reside in that district, which is centrally located and bordered by McPherson Street, Discovery Road, 19th Street, Blaine Street and the city limits.
For the specific boundaries, go to http://tinyurl.com/PDN-Boundary.
The board is currently a four-member panel including Pam Daly, Jennifer James-Wilson, Nathaneal O’Hara and Keith White.
For information and applications, call 360-379-4501.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
