The Ector County Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a $297,534,572 general fund budget for 2019-2020 at their meeting Wednesday.
The 2018-2019 budget was $272,594,509.
The major difference between the 2018-2019 budget and the 2019-2020 general fund is an increase in estimated compensation plan costs to employees and staffing increases of $17,433,928, Chief Financial Officer David Harwell said in an email.
The difference between the two appropriations is $24,940,063.
The board also is required to approve a food service and debt service budget.
The food service budget is $16,763,000 for 2019-2020 and the 2018-2019 food service budget was $15,753,000.
The debt service fund for 2019-2020 is $13,143,519 and the one for 2018-2019 was $13,181,369.
A tax rate will be approved in September. Under House Bill 3 passed by the Texas Legislature this last session, the maintenance and operation rate will be $1.06 per $100 valuation and 11 cents for debt service.
The maintenance and operation rate was $1.17 per $100 valuation with the passage of the tax ratification election in November 2018.
On a separate item, the board approved hiring Kamye Smith as the principal of Pease Elementary School.
She replaces Autumn Sloan.
She has served on campuses around the district and most recently was the assistant principal at Blanton Elementary School. Smith has been with ECISD for 13 years and had been with Child Protective Services for 10 years previously.
“I’m excited ready to get busy … I’m excited to get in there and work with the staff over at Pease and help those perk through second grade students,” Smith said.
On a separate item, trustees voted 7-0 to support the administration’s recommendation to non-renew the term contract of Joshua Moore.
