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FISD adopts $42M budget, changes first day of school




Audio articles on Wilson County News made possible by C Street Gift Shop in downtown Floresville!
Floresville Independent School District Superintendent Jason Gilstrap listens intently as district Finance Director Linnci Angle outlines the proposed 2021-22 budget June 28, prior to a vote by the school board. N. KILBEY-SMITH/Wilson County News

Floresville Independent School District Superintendent Jason Gilstrap listens intently as district Finance Director Linnci Angle outlines the proposed 2021-22 budget June 28, prior to a vote by the school board. N. KILBEY-SMITH/Wilson County News

Education of the estimated 4,000 students in the Floresville Independent School District (ISD) will cost just over $42 million for the 2021-22 academic year.

That’s the amount district trustees approved during a special meeting June 28 (see “Budget breakdown”).

This includes a 3-percent across-the-board pay raise for district employees. Pay and benefits comprise 75.5 percent of the budget, according to district Finance Director Linnci Angle. She told the school board the district is proposing to maintain the same tax rate as currently assessed — $1.2344 per $100 of taxable value. A tax rate won’t be approved until August, trustees heard.

No members of the public addressed the school board during the public hearing on the budget.

During board discussion on the budget, which also included the district’s 2021-22 compensation plan, trustee Alena Berlanga raised concerns about competitive pay for auxiliary staff, including bus drivers and custodial and cafeteria workers. She noted that pay for bus drivers is $14.78 per hour, only up 3 cents per hour since 2012. Berlanga suggested a per-hour increase of $1 or even $2 for these roles, citing pay for bus drivers in San Antonioarea districts of $15.84 per hour and more.

“I’d like to see these done before we approve this,” Berlanga added, tapping a copy of the budget. “I would like to see us fair, if not competitive.”

Board President Penny Smith advised Floresville ISD worked with the Texas Association of School Boards in the recent past on a salary study.

“It brought us back where we are competitive,” Smith said.

Berlanga’s request for the budget vote to be held, pending more review of the compensation, was met with opposition.

“The new school year starts Thursday [July 1],” Smith said. “We have to have a budget. That’s what we’re here for tonight.”

The budget and compensation were approved, 4-0, with Berlanga abstaining.

She opposed a measure earlier in the meeting, regarding a 2020-21 budget amendment to cover the purchase of a firewall for the district’s information technology system. At the end of a fiscal year, some small amounts remain, Superintendent Jason Gilstrap told trustees, explaining the proposal.

“I would like not to see, ‘Oh, we have money left, let’s hurry up and spend it,’” Berlanga said.

Gilstrap defended the measure; as needs arise, he said, money is moved throughout the year to accommodate them. The budget amendment was approved, 4-1.

In other matters, the school board:

•Approved a resolution regarding Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III) — funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and local policy — prior to applying for ESSER funds. The approval followed a public hearing, at which no members of the public addressed the board.

•Approved an adjustment to the calendar for the 2021-22 school year; school will start on Aug. 16 now, and not Aug. 11 as previously approved. The calendar also includes some early-release dates for students.

Budget breakdown

The 2021-22 budget for the Floresville ISD, approved June 28 by district trustees, includes:

•A 3-percent across-the-board pay increase for district employees

•$35.5 million total general-fund revenues — $14.34 million from local property taxes, $20.65 million from the state, and $545,000 from federal sources

•$19.82 million — student instruction

•$5.14 million —instructional and student support

•$9.97 million — operations and support services

•$4.94 million — debt service

•$2.1 million — food services

•$1.5 million — administrative support.

nkilbey-smith@wcn-online.com