Union County schools committee OKs sending state fund increases, $16 million restart transfer to full board

The Union County Public Schools Finance Committee voted to send several budget amendments and small transfers to the full school board after staff described state and federal funding increases and internal transfers.

Finance staff said the largest single entry is a $16,000,000 state transfer designated to fund the district’s restart schools. Staff also reported additional state-funded Exceptional Children (EC) dollars, modest federal amendments for risk-pool accounts, additional state lease-bus funds recorded in the capital fund, and small increases to Medicaid reimbursements and cumulative school donations recorded in the district’s special revenue fund.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about the lease-bus funds and the restart transfer. Staff said the state lease-bus funds are provided by the state and recorded as capital purchases. When a member asked whether the $16,000,000 is the total restart allocation, staff replied that it is: “So we don't get any additional funds. We have to take the funds we get, but that's the total that funds all 5 schools.”

No separate policy or statutory citation was listed during the discussion. Committee Chair moved to send the packet, a motion that received a second and was approved by voice vote.

The committee’s packet, staff said, also includes a few small local-purpose-code transfers to cover testing and other local expenditures. Staff noted these are routine items that the full board routinely approves on regular meeting agendas.

The committee did not make any final appropriations; the items will return to the full board for formal budget approval.