Dist. 1 to hold budget hearing on Thursday

A public hearing is set for Thursday morning for anyone who would like to make comments on District One’s proposed 2018-2019 budget.

The public hearing will be at 8 a.m. at the Yuma Elementary School District One Administration Office boardroom, 450 W. 6th St.

Chief Financial Officer Denis Ponder will give a review of the proposed budget and the floor will be opened up for public comments afterward, according to the hearing’s agenda. Speakers are normally limited to three minutes.

At its May business meeting, Ponder presented a preliminary budget to the governing board of $98,576,603, which includes all expenditure funds, including state and federal dollars. The district’s proposed maintenance and operations budget accounts for only $50,621,805 of that amount.

The other expenditure funds include: instructional improvement, classroom site monies, federal and state projects, unrestricted capital overlay, adjacent ways (roadways abutting school property), debt service, school plant fund, auxiliary operations, bond building, food service and “other.”

Ponder, in his May presentation, expected the primary and secondary property tax rates to remain the same as last year’s at $2.4736 and $0.2300, respectively.

Ponder could not be reached for updated figures as of deadline.

A special meeting to adopt the proposed budget is planned following the public hearing.

The board reserves the right to convene an executive session to discuss personnel matters or to consult with the school district’s attorney for legal advice concerning any items on the agenda.