By Bill Short
The Millington School Board voted this week to amend its Capital Projects Budget for the current fiscal year, based on additional revenue received or anticipated. Board members took the action Monday night during their regular monthly meeting on a motion offered by Cody Childress and seconded by Chris Denson. The motion was passed by six affirmative votes, with Ronnie Mackin absent. Dr. David Roper, superintendent of Millington Municipal Schools, said some of the additional revenue has already been received. As an example, he noted that $480,206 was received at the “very end” of the previous fiscal year. But the board had not yet been able to “officially add” that to its Capital Projects Budget. Roper said the Millington school district will receive an additional $1,175,000 from Shelby County as its “prorated share of capital monies.” That is based on the district’s portion of the total student enrollment across the county. The superintendent also said the district has reduced its request for a $5 million bond issue by $200,000 to $4.8 million. He noted that the board has requested the bond issue to help finance construction of a Performing Arts Center on the Millington Central High School campus. Bruce Rasmussen, supervisor of Financial Services for the district, said it should receive the entire $1,175,000 from the county before July 1, 2018. “They said they’re going to split it up into three payments,” he noted. “We received the first payment, $407,000, in November.” Roper said the additional revenue will be reflected under “expenditures” in the budget. But it was necessary for the amendments to be approved by the board and ultimately by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. In other action, on a motion offered by Childress and seconded by Roger Christopher, the board approved “additional compensation” for all the district’s employees. Because this is a “one-time” compensation, Roper said it will not affect the salary schedule. But it will be part of the Dec. 15 payroll. He said the administration recommended an additional amount of $500 for certificated, $300 for classified and $250 for part-time employees. In response to a question by board member Mark Coulter, Roper said certificated employees are licensed as teachers in the state of Tennessee. Sometimes called “certified,” they are broadly defined to include classroom teachers, counselors, librarians and building administrators. At the beginning of the meeting, the board elected C. J. Haley as its new chairman, Christopher as vice chairman and re-elected Larry Jackson as Tennessee Legislative Network representative. Haley said the “TLN rep” makes sure the board members are aware of “all the things going on at the state level” that affect the district. He also usually attends the Day on the Hill in Nashville, which occurs each February.
Jackson noted that the Millington district hosts an annual reception for its local legislators. And after the Tennessee General Assembly session begins in January, all the municipal districts participate in a conference call each Friday to make everyone aware of what is happening.
