Decatur school board approves budget, proposes lower millage

Decatur’s school board approved its 2015-16 budget this week, which projects $57.3 million in expenditures. This includes salaries for about 26 additional teaching and support positions to accommodate anticipated growth. City Schools Decatur ended 2014-15 with an all-time high enrollment of 4,342, projected to jump 8.9 percent next year to 4,759. The budget also includes a 2.5 step increase to those who qualify and a cost-of-living adjustment of 2 percent.

The board deferred voting on the millage rate until next month. Last year, the millage was reduced from 20.9 mills to 20.5, and this week the board proposed lowering it further to 19 mills. But Chairman Garrett Goebel asked CSD staff to provide more information in July regarding the possibility of reducing it even more to 18.66 mills.