Benton County approves school budget changes and $1.78 million for Briarwood roof

Benton County Commissioners voted July 15 to approve several changes to the 2024-25 school budget, including an appropriation of $1,780,394 for building improvements at Briarwood School. The package of measures, sponsored by DOS Mark Florence, included grant allocations and internal transfers aimed at covering special education services, vocational staffing and a Transition to Work grant.

Among the actions the commission approved were: a $38,000 appropriation from the school fund balance for special education contracted services and transportation (Resolution 20240715-04); budgeting $74,098 in JAGTN grant funds to staffing and benefits lines including $55,895 for a vocational education teacher (20240715-05); a reallocation of $84,002 to contracted substitute services (20240715-06); $106,033 budgeted from a Transition to Work grant to wages and benefits (20240715-07); and a $1,780,394 appropriation to building improvements for the Briarwood School roof (20240715-10), which was amended on the floor to remove a descriptive word in the resolution text before passage.

Commissioners approved each budget item by roll call vote, typically 17-0 with one commissioner absent. Commissioner Melton moved the amendment to the Briarwood appropriation and the commission approved the measure as amended. The resolutions authorize specific line-item changes (detailed in county minutes) and draw on the school fund balance and grant revenues as indicated in the resolutions. The actions are intended to address immediate capital and programmatic needs identified by school administrators and DOS Florence.