The Wetzel County Board of Education April 21 approved a preliminary operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2008 of $28,398,840—about two percent higher than this year’s $27.7 million budget approved in April 2007.

There was an increase of some $400,000 in support from the state legislature and another $300,000 increase in local revenues. In addition, there was a $55,000 increase in carry over funds—money that was unspent from last year that will be applied to the new budget.

Although total funding is up, revenues were not sufficient to maintain the school system at its present levels and some spending reductions were necessary to balance the budget. Reductions-in-force ordered by the board for next year accounted for $845,032.63 of those spending cuts.

School System Treasurer Jeff Lancaster noted that much of the increase in state aid is to fund pay increases for professional and service workers approved by the legislature last year. “In other words,” Lancaster explained, “we have more dollars, but are funded for fewer positions than we were last year. We have to stretch those dollars farther.”

More than 76 percent of the proposed budget, $21,760,250, will pay salaries and fixed costs of employees. Another nine percent, or $2,549,610, is targeted for such items as bus replacement, staff development, and non-salary instructional expenditures such as textbooks.

Two percent of expenditures will pay for utilities, budgeted at $569,385, while a little more than two percent, $672,294, will go toward food service. The remaining 10 percent of the proposed budget, or $2,857,301, will pay for expenses not covered under other areas.

The proposed budget now moves to a public hearing and final adoption at the board’s May 1 meeting at 7 p.m. in the board offices, 333 Foundry St., New Martinsville, where the document is available for public inspection.

The board voted to renew a contract with County Superintendent Bill Jones for a two-year period beginning July 1, 2008, at $91,000 the first year and $94,500 in the second year. At its April 7 meeting, the board unanimously approved of Jones’ job performance under his current one-year contract, saying that he had “met or exceeded all expectations and goals.”

Jones reported that the West Virginia School Building Authority has approved an emergency grant of $595,670 for the repair of a displaced parapet wall on the south side of Magnolia High School. Jones said that no danger to people exists, but SBA expects work to begin forthwith on projects funded as emergencies.

The problem, discovered about five years ago, is believed to have been caused by faulty construction by the contractor, who has since gone out of business.

The superintendent said he hopes that work can begin immediately after the summer recess begins in June, with completion by the start of the next school year in September.

The south portion of the building was added in 1988. Wetzel County has applied for SBA assistance twice before.

Lancaster said the school system has received $225,986.87 in new funding for multiple programs, including a state allocation of $42,000 for equipment and supplies that will be distributed among all county schools.

The largest portion of the new money is $101,168 from a federal rural and low-income schools grant that will fund reading initiative teaching positions.

The school system also received a good report on its mandatory annual audit of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007. Lancaster said that Tetrick & Bartlett, a Clarksburg-based CPA firm, “found zero findings for Wetzel County Schools.” He told board members accounting staff at the county office and in the county schools “are to be congratulated for focusing on sound fiscal management.”

Earlier in the meeting, Nancy Shewmake, a custodian III at MHS, asked the board to determine why approval of her bid on the same position at SLS seemed to be taking longer than usual.

Shewmake said she bid on the posted job opening April 4 and was told that she was the most senior employee to bid on the position when it closed April 10. However, she said, she had not yet been called to work at SLS, which is closer to her home than Magnolia. She said she would realize considerable savings in fuel costs driving to SLS.

Board president Mike Blair said Assistant Superintendent Jay Yeager and Director of Ancillary Services Brian Jones would investigate the matter promptly.

Following the meeting, Yeager noted that the board has 30 days to fill a position. Shewmake has more than 25 years of service to the school system.