The

Fayette County Board of Education voted four to

one to approve a $114.7 million budget for fiscal

year 2000 Monday night, which reflects a 3.1

percent over last year's spending plan and gives

teachers and administrators a 4 percent pay

raise.

Dr.

John DeCotis, superintendent of schools,

recommended approval of the budget, which was

both praised and criticized by the board.

"I'm

a little disappointed in the way the budget was

formulated... instead of justifying expenditures,

they took how much we expected to receive and

spent that. They took the millage and multiplied

it by the anticipated growth and anticipated

funding... It's not the most frugal use of the

taxpayer's money," said Woody Shelnutt, the

only board member to vote against the budget.

Fellow board member Connie Hale said she voted

for the budget "reluctantly."

Board

Chairman Debbie Condon said she was "not

disappointed in the budget." She noted the

"great deal of effort" that the

superintendent and his support staff put into it.

"It was not haphazardly put together. In the

last couple budgets, spending exceeded our

revenue. We had to take money out of our savings

account to make up the deficit. This budget

doesn't reflect that. I'm pleased we have a

balanced budget."

The

budget includes a uniform 240-day year for

administrators, paying them for summer hours many

have worked without pay in previous years. The

increased work year added about $230,000 to

salaries. This, added to step increases and

promotions caused some administrators' salaries

to jump as much as 25 percent.

Other

key items in the budget include salaries and

benefits for 64 new teachers, 12.5

paraprofessionals, seven bus drivers, a

psychologist and nine other new positions. This

is expected to meet the needs of the 5 percent

increase in students for next school year, about

500 students.

No

cuts have been made in financing classroom

instruction or teachers. No midterm adjustments

from the state will be necessary this year,

allowing the board's fund balance to increase.

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