School Board To Table Budget, Vote on Privatizing Grounds Services

The Cherokee County School Board tonight will be formally presented with the fiscal year 2014 budget for the Cherokee County School District.

The board will hear the first reading and table the proposed budget during its meeting tonight, which starts at 7 p.m. at the historic Canton High School/School Board Auditorium.

The proposed balanced budget is set at $496 million, which includes $321.9 million in its general fund; $89.5 million in its building fund; $51 million in debt service; $12 million in federal and state grants; $19.3 in school food service fund; and $2.1 million in what's labeled other funds.

Along with tabling the budget, the board will approve a spending resolution that will allow the district to continue operating at current expense levels for an additional month.

Since the district's fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30, the resolution is needed as the Cherokee County government doesn't finalize tax digest appeals before the district's fiscal year begins. 

The board is set give final approval of its budget during a called meeting on July 24. 

Board members will also consider voting to allow Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo to execute a contract with a selected company to perform district grounds services, which is expected to save around $100,000 each year. 

If approved, the changes would go into effect during the 2013-14 school year and would affect eight employees.

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