The School Board canceled the second Finance Workshop they had set for May 31st at 4 p.m. However, they did set a June 7th 5 p.m. Special Meeting and said they would continue the Finance Workshop following that session.
by Kathy Foster
Meeting in a workshop session Tuesday afternoon, members of the Washington County School Board devoted the majority of their meeting time to discussion of budgetary constraints they are facing for the FY 2018-19 budget year.
Part of those budget issues at Tuesday’s workshop centered on bids opened earlier in the day dealing with work proposed for Memorial Field – the CHS football field. Board members had been looking at making the facility ADA accessible, but now have put the project on hold because bids for the work came in almost twice as high as expected. Washington County School Superintendent Joe Taylor said he already has the architect reviewing the proposed plans to see where some cost savings might be realized.
In a move to spread out school district revenue sources, board members are discussing implementing a half-cent sales tax in Washington County to help keep funding for the school district at the current level, while reducing the amount of ad valorem taxes collected from Washington County property owners. The board members said the one-half cent sales tax would actually increase revenue coming into the county’s school district.
If approved by the School Board at the June 7th Special Meeting, the issue will go before the voters on the August 2018 ballot.
Should the half-cent option be voted in, then the School Board would have the option of lowering the 1.5 mills currently being charged property owners.