Raises highlight Portales school budget

The Portales School Board will send its tentative budget to Santa Fe today.

The board voted Monday to submit a $38,669,128 overall budget, including $22,898,455 in operating funds.

The budget is about $1.2 million more than last year, said Carol Kriegshauser, director of finance.

The budget includes a 3 percent salary increase for certified staff and a 4 percent increase for non-certified staff, said Superintendent Randy Fowler.

House Bill 2 mandates that all certified staff receive a 2 percent raise and uncertified staff receive a 3 percent raise.

“There’s not much you can do but fulfill the mandates you are given,” said Fowler. “We have done that.”

The budget committee was able to address all the areas on a priority list, he said.

“I feel good about that,” Fowler said.

The tentative budget will be submitted electronically to the Public Education Department, Kriegshauser said, and returned to the district for any adjustments before final approval of the board.

The school board also:

• Heard a report on Student Special Services;

• Heard a report from the Roosevelt County Town Hall meeting by the Tomorrow’s Leaders program members;

• Recognized McDonald’s restaurant for a $700 donation to James Elementary School;

• Approved donations of $2,000 from the Portales Soccer Boosters, $50 from the New Mexico Speech Association, and $600 from an anonymous donor for the administrative assistants appreciation luncheon; and

• Approved a lengthy list of end-of-year budget adjustments.