Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Expecting 534 students to return in the fall
COLFAX - The Colfax School District board approved a 2021-22 budget on July 26, based on a projection of 534 students, up to five from last year.
The total includes $8.6 million in the general fund, $1.2 million in debt service for bond payments, $500,000 in capital projects, $209, 674 for the associated student body fund, and $150,000 for the transportation fund.
District Business Manager Reece Jenkin presented the numbers to the board.
"You're going to see a reduction in our state revenue," he said, noting that it is bang backfilled by stimulus money.
He explained some larger expenditures included $3.3 million of the general fund going to certified staff salaries and $1.3 million to classified staff.
In district forecasting, Jenkin talked about a bump with the class of 2023 at 56 students, followed by what is expected to be smaller groups coming through.
"Most of our elementary classes are 38, 39," he said.
The $500,000 in capital projects comes from interest on the 2018 school construction bond. District Superintendent Jerry Pugh explained the board is putting together a plan for how best to use the money, which is required to be spent on capital projects.
Bond interest paid for the $100,000 parking lot re-paving.
The district started the 2020-21 year with a projection of 540 students. A large drop occurred early in the year as classes were remote. At the end of the year, after junior-senior high school students had returned in-person the student count finished at 529.
Student counts determine how much money comes to the district from the state.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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