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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

Revenue to Chilton County Schools increased slightly for the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30.

Chief School Financial Officer Alisa Benson gave an update on revenue for the year to the Board of Education during a meeting on Nov. 15.

Increases were seen in revenue from both sales tax and ad valorem tax. Benson said sales tax revenue increased about $380,000 and ad valorem revenue increased around $225,000.

She emphasized that this was the actual growth, not the $3 million showing up in the general fund because that number included limited-time federal and technology advance funding.

“A lot of our regular expenditures that we would have for our school system, we have been able to shift to those funds,” Benson said, commenting that the limited-time funding had been used to pay several nurses, the school resource officers, maintenance costs and facility insurance.

She said it needs to be kept in mind that these expenses will need to be paid out of regular funding in the future.

Benson said the school system’s financial books are in better shape now because revenues and expenditures are being recorded in the correct places.

“When I first came in to try to make a projection about our finances on what we did have or didn’t have, I really couldn’t do it because things weren’t recorded in the right place,” Benson said. “I feel like we are making progress in that area. I feel comfortable with the numbers that are recorded for FY 22. They are recorded in the right place, expenditures are, and that will help us going forward to make a better projection with our finances.”

Under personnel, the board accepted the resignation of bus driver Tyler Strawn, hired three new bus drivers, a Tech Specialist 1, another IT employee student info and an ESL teacher assistant. A speech teacher and a teacher for Clanton Middle School were also approved. A

building that is on the capital mental health coordinator job description was approved to be posted. CCS Superintendent Jason Griffin said the part-time position would act as a liaison for students to connect them with counseling resources. The position would be funded from state funding that has been allocated specifically for this.

A vote to keep the president and vice president the same as the previous year failed. Pam Price, Jacqueline Sullivan and Brad Carter voted in favor. Chris Smith and Lori Patterson voted against.  Even though Diane Callaway and Keith Moore were absent, a vote needs four votes to pass.

No other nominations had been made for the positions, and Patterson said she would like the decision for board president and vice president to be considered again when all board members were present.

Also, during the meeting, a Jemison Middle School parent brought a request that the school’s multi-purpose projects plan be made a priority because athletes and musicians need the additional space.