Corsicana — The Corsicana Independent School District will have to cope with a budget that is around $2 million less than it had available last year.

The preliminary budget reduction was confirmed at a regular meeting of the CISD Board of Trustees Monday in its first discussions of the district’s budget for the 2011-12 school year.

A preliminary expenditure budget of little more than $35 million will be available, down from just less than the $37 million available for last year’s budget, said Mike Nielsen, the assistant superintendent of business and finance.

Budget discussions will take place over the next month, with a budget workshop set for Aug. 1. The board expects to approve a budget on Aug. 29, said Nielsen.

“Based on what we received from the legislature it’s looking like a $2 million cut. We have cut down about $1.8 million so far,” he told the board. “The big part is the payroll cost and we are looking at our contracted service and so forth as well to see if we can reduce any more.”

He said that the process will move more quickly once the certified tax rolls arrive and that figures should be “close” when the board meets for its next meeting on Aug. 15.

Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost then told the board that there would be a reduction of $1.9 million this year and a further $1.3 million for the 2012-13 school year.

“The cuts that we have already done will take care of what we need to do,” Frost said. “If we are very frugal and very cautious about the decisions that we make next year then hopefully we will be able to get through the budgeting process without having to make staffing cuts.”

Frost suggested further attrition might be necessary next year by not replacing staff who leave or the positions that they leave from.

“We know where we are headed and what we have to do for the next two years,” she added.

The board was given a basic oversight of the preliminary budget which showed that payroll costs alone will account for nearly $30 million of the $35 million budget.

Nielsen later said that bond payments still need to be taken into consideration once all revenue and expenditure figures are known.

     —————

Oliver Sheehan may be reached by e-mail at oliver@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “Soundoff” on this story? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com

CISD MEETING BRIEFS

By Oliver Sheehan/Daily Sun Staff Writer



Superintendent’s report

Superintendent Dr. Diane Frost gave special recognition to students Alyssa Lawhon, Erika McKissick, Chris Gregg and Anna Updegrove in her report. She also announced the success of the Summer Spanish Institute to help eighth grade students prepare for their AP test in Spanish. Frost reminded attendees that the Back to School Stay in School rally will take place on Aug. 13. New teachers are due to come back on Aug. 8 and 9, she added.



Appraisers and calendar approved

The board approved 19 certified appraisers from across the district for teachers’ performances during the 2011-12 school year and nine secondary appraisers from administration. The appraisal calendar was also approved.



Board accepts catalog bids

Catalog bids from several different companies were approved by trustees. The bids included materials for arts, crafts and sciences.



Magazine bids approved

The board approved four different bids for annual subscriptions for magazines such as Ranger Rick, Texas Parks and Wildlife and American Theatre. The bids totaled approximately $4,500.



Greenworx to provide

printing supply

Trustees decided to go local by accepting a bid from Greenworx Printing of Corsicana to provide all printed supplies for the district in the 2011-12 school year at a cost of approximately $10,700. The supplies include envelopes, record forms and policy handbooks.



Janitorial supplies given go-ahead

Janitorial supplies provided by CLEANCARE, Dixie Paper and JANPAK were approved by trustees, with the lowest prices and most efficient quantities taken into account by trustees. The supplies will cost aproximately $70,000.



Instructional supplies approved

Instructional supplies provided by four different companies were approved by trustees. The supplies, which were selected in all cases from the lowest bids for each item, will cost a total approximately $50,000.   



Submarine sandwiches to debut in CISD

A variety of Subway sandwiches will be available in the CHS cafeteria after the board approved the company’s proposals to supply the sandwiches. The move follows a request from students for more variety.



Attorneys approved for appeals contract

The board approved a contract with Linebarger Heard Blair and Sampson LLP to conduct appeals to the state Comptroller’s Office regarding property value studies impacting state aide for the school year 2012-13.  



New CISD voting location

CISD elections due in November and March will take place in the Administration Conference Room of the present district administration building at 601 North 13th Street. Previously voting has taken place in the old administration building based at 312 West First Avenue.



Consent agenda

A consent agenda including reports and donations was approved by trustees.



Announcements

Frost announced a board workshop to discuss the budget for the coming school year will take place at 6 p.m. on Aug. 1. She also announced the next regular meeting of the board of trustees will convene at 6 p.m. on Aug.15.