At Thursday's school board meeting, the board voted for their 2012-2013 budget which will require more than a million dollars in new operating costs. The bulk of the million dollars will go for raises, step raises and raises for school board members.

School board members are asking for a $100.00 per month, per board member increase in their pay. Board members are currently paid $300.00 per month. If they get it, that would bring their pay to $400.00 per month. 

While the board passed their budget, the final say will be with the county commission who must approve the budget as the board has proposed or reject the entire budget. The school board will not be asking the commission for the extra million dollars but plans to take the extra funding from their reserve funds.

Through cost cutting over the last four years, the school board has built a hefty reserve fund totaling around six million dollars. Initially, it was hoped that the extra reserves could be used to help offset some of the costs of the building program but apparently, that's not going to be the case now. Looks like it is headed in another direction.