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Piedmont Community Charter board approves 2024–25 budget, safety system, hires and facilities repairs
Summary
On Oct. 15 the Piedmont Community Charter School board unanimously approved an updated 2024–25 budget that raises projected net surplus, authorized a high-school AI weapons-detection screening system, approved a recommended high-school CTE hire, and funded three facilities repair projects via a $402,614 fund-balance appropriation.
The Piedmont Community Charter School board voted unanimously Oct. 15 to approve several key items for the 2024–25 school year, including an updated budget, a recommended hire for the high school, the purchase of a campus safety screening system and repairs identified in a recent capital-needs assessment.
Treasurer Mr. Grady presented the finance report and the updated 2024–25 budget. He cited September 2024 figures — "total state revenue, $1,402,451.63; total local revenue, $52,331.58; total federal revenue, $42,457.96" — and said the month produced a net surplus before investment of $59,426.99 and a net surplus for the month of $114,506.50 after investment income. The board approved the updated budget, which Mr. Grady said increased projected state revenue from about $13.8 million to approximately $14.0 million and produced an updated total revenue figure of $18,596,929.30 and projected total expenses of $17,628,368.17, bringing the projected net surplus to about $968,561.13 and a debt-service coverage ratio of 1.54 (above the 1.1 minimum).
The board also approved personnel recommendations presented by Head of School Holly White. White told directors the personnel report included the hire of Amber Willard as the high-school CTE health and science teacher; the board moved, seconded and approved the personnel report unanimously.
The board authorized procurement of a high-school safety screening system after a presentation by Pam Hostetler, identified in the packet as the high-school director. Hostetler described the Evolve Express screening unit as an AI weapons-detection system that allows students and visitors to "walk through without removing coats, backpacks, or emptying pockets" and said it reduces the staff time required compared with walkthrough metal detectors. The packet included a vendor quote for the equipment; the vendor name appears inconsistently in the record (listed in one packet item as "Bridal Technologies" and later referenced in a motion as "Bright Light Technologies"). The board approved the vendor quote unanimously. The length and cost of any post-warranty or post-subscription fees after the included four-year software subscription were not specified in the packet.
Facilities committee members presented three quotes totaling $40,374 to complete sidewalk and parking repairs at the elementary campus and sidewalk and front-entrance repairs at the middle school to fulfill the school's capital-needs assessment. The committee proposed using $37,760 previously set aside and adding $2,614 from operations; the board approved increasing fund-balance appropriations to $402,614 and authorized the projects. Board members noted some repair work will be scheduled during off-hours.
The board also approved earlier minutes (Sept. 17 and the Sept. 14 strategic-planning minutes) and heard committee reports on enrichment (beginning-of-year assessments and IXL alignment) and athletics (season results, postseason scheduling and Homecoming on Nov. 22). The meeting adjourned with all motions passing by unanimous vote.
What comes next: the board scheduled its next regular meeting for Nov. 19, 2024, and a strategic planning session for Oct. 26, 2024.
