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Committee approves $5.56M summer learning grant; cafeteria indirect‑cost transfer approved in Health & Ed, Budget Committee defers final vote
Summary
Rutherford County’s Health & Education Committee unanimously approved an amendment to recognize a $5,556,938 summer-learning grant and approved a $2 million indirect‑cost transfer from the cafeteria fund to the general school fund; the Budget Committee deferred final action on some items to its next meeting pending updated figures and the certified tax rate.
Health & Education Committee members on May 26 approved a pair of school budget amendments, including a $5,556,938 revenue and expenditure increase to Fund 141 to recognize an awarded summer camp grant and a $2 million transfer from the Central Cafeteria Fund (Fund 143) to reimburse indirect costs to the general purpose school fund.
Brian Runan, introduced as the finance director for B County Schools, presented the summer‑camp amendment and said the funds come from the Tennessee Learning Loss Remediation and Student Acceleration Act and require no local match. "This amendment is to increase fund 141 budgeted revenues and expenditures in the amount of $5,556,938 to recognize the awarded summer camp grant for FY25–26," he told commissioners. Runan said the grant will fund summer staff — principals, teachers, educational assistants and secretaries — and that a portion of summer payroll depends on accepting the award.
Commissioners asked whether the award covers all summer costs. Runan replied that it does, and that refusing the grant could jeopardize summer programming and related payroll. The Health & Education Committee moved and approved the amendment by roll call.
Runan also presented a second amendment to budget indirect costs in Fund 143, explaining that unrestricted indirect cost rates are set by the Tennessee Department of Education and that RCS’s FY25–26 unrestricted rate is 11.19%. "This amendment increases indirect cost and decreases restricted fund balance in the amount of $2 million to budget for indirect costs that were accumulated in Fund 141 and being reimbursed by Fund 143," Runan said. The Health & Education Committee approved that amendment as well by roll call; Commissioner Oliver recorded a nay on the cafeteria item.
Budget Committee members discussed whether to vote the same evening. Some members said the summer grant materials arrived late on committee packets and expressed concern about acting without time to review; county finance and school staff said the grant is time‑sensitive and that delaying could affect summer payroll. By show of hands the Budget Committee decided to defer final action on at least one item to the committee’s next meeting so updated reports can be circulated.
What’s next: Health & Education approved both amendments for its part; the Budget Committee will consider final votes after staff distributes corrected financial reports and the county has a certified tax rate for property‑tax projections.
Votes at a glance: Health & Education moved and approved the summer‑grant amendment and the Fund 143 indirect‑cost transfer (both passed on roll calls in the Health & Education Committee). The Budget Committee signaled it would defer some votes to the next meeting pending updated materials and the certified tax rate.
