Board approves Dunn, Sklar as president and vice president

With school and summer in full swing, the Mountain Brook Board of Education didn’t have much on its agenda June 11.

Board members approved the minutes from previous meetings, marked items to be disposed of as surplus and approved personnel recommendations, all within a matter of minutes. Both Elizabeth Dunn and Brad Sklar were voted to maintain their current positions, president and vice president of the board, respectively, as well. The vote was unanimous amongst board members.

The board meeting calendar for 2018–19 was also approved too, which Superintendent Dicky Barlow said they can always revise later, and board members heard the latest financial statement.

Chief School Financial Officer Kari Austin said as of May 31, the school system had collected 84 percent of its general fund budget and expended approximately 70 percent of its budget through the eighth month of the year while ending with about $7.9 million in general fund excess for the month. She also reviewed a budget amendment, which the board approved.

Under the amendment, the school system budgeted $200,000 for salaries and benefits to start scheduled 2.5 percent raises and rejected the movement of $750,000 from the general fund into the capital projects account to cover approved projects. The capital projects account does show budgeted items for the approved projects, however.

Austin also stated the school received one catastrophic special education grant and several high-cost grants, which are revenues and expenditures that would have normally come out of the general fund, but will now come out of special education grant funds.

Austin said due to the grant funds the school has received, there will a positive net impact on Mountain Brook Schools' finances.

The board also took time to recognize Betsy Bell, who was attending her last Board of Education meeting. Bell is retiring from her position as principal of Cherokee Bend Elementary at the end of this month after working in MBS for 18 years. Her recognition was met with a round of applause.

The next Board of Education meeting will take place on July 9 in the central office. New Teacher Orientation will be the week of July 23-27, with the New Teacher Breakfast on July 24. Institute Day will be on Aug. 9 in the Fine Arts Center.