School board presented 2–3% raise options and three ways to cover the cost

The Cherokee County School Board heard staff recommendations on April 20 that would give employees a cost‑of‑living raise in the 2%–3% range while laying out options to cover the resulting budget gap.

“The purpose for the budget workshop is for you guys to be able to review the numbers and ask questions before the 1st reading of the proposed budget,” the superintendent said during opening remarks, adding the district wants to “give our employees a 2 to 3% cost of living raise so that we can stay competitive.” Finance staff emphasized the draft budget is not yet balanced: “The budget is not yet balanced,” the chief financial officer said, noting that the final numbers will depend on the state budget and the district’s 45th‑day enrollment.

Staff presented specific scenarios: a 3% raise with no new millage would require roughly $1,590,000 from fund balance to balance next year; a hybrid approach would split the need between a smaller millage increase and fund balance; and a minimal 1% raise would keep the general fund balanced without additional levies. “We would need $1,590,000 to balance the budget with a 3% raise and no millage levied,” the CFO said, offering the board choices that trade short‑term fund balance use for future millage decisions.

The presentation also underscored that the district is salary‑heavy—about 85% of the general fund—and that recurring costs funded from one‑time balances should be phased out where possible. Staff recommended a plan to “scale out” of fund balance after a reassessment year and recommended that the board weigh either the supplement‑with‑fund‑balance approach, a hybrid 50/50 mill‑and‑fund‑balance split, or levying the full millage needed to cover recurring costs.

Next steps: staff said they will deliver detailed spreadsheets and supplement schedules before the first reading on May 11 so the board can make a formal decision at the advertised readings later in May and June.