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Indian Springs Village council increases grants budget by $140,000 to cover school requests
Summary
The Indian Springs Village Council unanimously approved a $140,000 increase to the Community Grants budget July 1 to fund several grant requests from Oak Mountain schools, covering a larger-than-expected elementary play-area cost and equipment and instrument needs at the middle and high schools.
The Town Council of Indian Springs Village on July 1 unanimously approved a $140,000 increase to the Community Grants budget to cover multiple school grant requests. Mayor Brenda Bell-Guercio told the council that amending the budget was necessary to fulfill the requests presented by local school officials.
Oak Mountain Elementary Principal Wendy Cespedes said a previously requested play-area project that had been estimated at about $45,000 now carries an estimate closer to $90,000. Oak Mountain Middle School Principal Ashli Polizos, joined by Chanse Nelson and Heather Holmes of the middle school band, presented a grant request totaling $77,142.41 for audio and video equipment, security cameras, collaborative classroom seating and band instruments. Head Football Coach Shane McComb reported Oak Mountain High School will receive a new scoreboard at Heardmont Park on Aug. 4 and noted a separate request for computers totaling $15,000; Mayor Bell-Guercio also flagged a separate, next-year request to turf two ball fields estimated at $600,000.
Councilmember Richard Harley moved to suspend the rules so the council could consider amending the budget; Councilmember Herb Robins seconded. The roll call recorded Mayor Bell-Guercio and all four councilmembers voting yea. Following the suspension, Councilmember Harley moved to increase the Community Grants budget by $140,000; Councilmember C. Dale Elliott seconded and the motion passed with all in favor.
The budget amendment is intended to cover the immediately presented requests; the council did not adopt any multi-year funding commitments for the larger turf proposal, which the mayor described as a request for next year. The council did not specify which line items would be adjusted to accommodate the increase. The council approved the motion by a unanimous vote of the members present (Mayor Bell-Guercio, Richard Harley, Herb Robins, C. Dale Elliott and Ed Whatley).
