June comments invited on Marietta schools budget

While the tentative budget was approved May 15 by the Marietta Board of Education, there will be two public hearings in June before its final adoption with no millage rate increase.

Those hearings will be 5:30 p.m. June 12 and 6:30 p.m. June 19 before the budget’s scheduled adoption during the June 19 meeting at the Marietta Board of Education Central Offices, 250 Howard St., Marietta before it goes into effect July 1 through June 30, 2019.

Projected general revenue is $100,436,367, a 6.1 percent increase over this budget year with 52 percent from local tax revenue, 47 percent from state revenue and 1 percent from other local revenue and $400,000 in state/federal grants.

Expenditures will be $103,585,803, a 5.3 percent increase with these changes:

• $1,523,508 for an average salary increase of 2 percent for eligible certified and noncertified employees.
• $2,414,292 for an increase in employer contributions from 16.81 percent to 20.9 percent for all eligible employees for the Teachers Retirement System.
• $55,000 for an increase of $5,000 to each school principal.
• $109,000 for a new Fine Arts Coordinator for the district to support K-12.
• $791,101 for increases in staffing and materials.
• $110,000 for lunchroom monitors at eight elementary schools.
• $153,443 for more custodial personnel.

The $3,149,436 difference may be paid out of the school district’s nearly $16 million fund balance.