It will

cost taxpayers nearly $115 million to school an expected

20,013 Fayette students, according to the fiscal year

2000 budget given tentative approval Monday night by the

Fayette County Board of Education.

The

unanimously adopted balanced budget reflects a 3.1

percent increase in spending over last year's budget and

includes an across-the-board 4 percent pay raise for

teachers, administrators and staff.

"I

think you did a real good job with very limited

resources. We've been able to pass along the state

recommended salary increase and take care of some

maintenance items," Debbie Condon, board of

education chairman, said.

She noted

that the budget also includes a uniform 240-day contract

for administrators, paying them for summer hours many

previously worked without pay.

The

increased work year for principals and their secretaries

will add $230,000 to the salaries' budget. Because some

principals had been getting paid for a shorter span, some

will see major increases in their paychecks. At least one

principal will receive nearly a 25 percent raise. A chart

of administrators' and principals' salaries is on Page

7A.

"I am

not pleased with the budget; I wish we could have done

more. You have had definite time constraints. Dr. DeCotis

came on in April and had to get on it quickly,"

Condon added, referring to DeCotis' promotion to

superintendent.

Key items

in the proposed budget, which is expected to be given an

official approval in two weeks, includes additional

salaries and benefits totaling $4,250,000 for 64 new

teachers, 12.5 paraprofessionals, seven bus drivers, a

psychologist and nine other new positions. This will meet

the needs of the 5 percent, or 500 student, increase for

next school year.

No cuts

have been made in financing classroom instruction or

teachers, according to the budget document given to

reporters. No midterm adjustment from the state will be

necessary this year, allowing the board's fund balance to

build.

The

proposed 2000 travel budget of $279,156 - the object

of scrutiny by the board last week - was trimmed.

"Travel

is now $18,619 more than last year, which is two-tenths

of 1 percent of the total budget," finance director

Jim Stephens said. The board had asked Stephens and

DeCotis to go back over travel expenses at last week's

meeting.

Their

request to look over principals' salaries based on a

district-wide, 240-day calendar, and "position

responsibility supplements" awarded annually based

on the number of teachers, was answered in a memo from

DeCotis outlining several proposals.

"There

are legalities involved with these options," DeCotis

said. He recommended a meeting between the board and

their attorney to discuss possible proposals.

Principals

have signed contracts noting the change in calendar from

their previous 210 or 220 to the current 240. At the last

board meeting, several members expressed concern over the

amount of money the calendar revision would increase

salaries. The move to a 240-day calendar was approved

last August by the board, in order that all principals

would work the same number of days, which was previously

not the case.

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