Board member Matt Shoffner (L) and Superintendent Scott Smith (R) | https://www.csredhawks.org/our-district/board-of-education
Board member Matt Shoffner (L) and Superintendent Scott Smith (R) | https://www.csredhawks.org/our-district/board-of-education
The Kent County Intermediate School District presented the Cedar Springs School District with its budget review at its May 8 board meeting.
The yearly practice keeps district officials in the loop regarding the budgets for local communities that are part of the district.
“So annually, each year, the local districts in Kent County are asked to review the budget presentation put forward by the Kent ISD, and it gives some merit of local oversight to the expenditure of county funds,” said Cedar Springs Superintendent Scott Smith.
Smith added that the presentation was needed in case the district has any questions.
“Many of the funds that are spent through the ISD are shared funds that are generated by all of the communities that are part of the Kent ISD,” he said. “So, as an oversight opportunity, each board of education is asked to review the response budget and then ask any questions they may have and then also take action on it.”
The board had four steps in the review: an overview of budget contents, an overview of the proposed budget packet, an overview of the center-based program budget and then a vote on the resolution.
The board could either vote yes to approve the budget or no to disapprove as its recommendation to the district.
“In summary, they're forecasting a positive revenue cycle in the county," Smith said. "So, they're anticipating a five percent increase in countywide property tax revenue and then also a five percent increase in unrestricted state aid. And so, again, the budgeting process is much like predicting the weather. It's not an exact scientific type of process, but it is a forecast based on trends and information that's available at this time. They feel good about overall revenues in terms of growth.”
The board approved the budget resolution despite some cost increases.
The board also chose a representative for the Kent ISD school board election. Smith explained that the “intermediate school board association is not an association that is voted upon by the residents of Kent County,” but by representatives from each school district.
The Cedar Springs board chose Vice President Matt Shoffner to represent the district at the ISD meeting and election at the end of June, with the backup representative being Smith.
Alerts Sign-up