Benicia Unified School District trustees will discuss and possibly approve Thursday lists of Measure S bond projects, divided into series based on when the funds will be available.

Trustees also will discuss the district’s First Interim Financial Report for 2014-15.

Measure S was approved by voters in June. It will provide an anticipated $49.6 million in bond funding to be used for district facilities upgrades, improvements and modernization.

The bond funds are planned to be issued in three series: Series A, B and C.

“The Series A bond funds of $20 million were just issued in November 2014 and had been deposited in a separate county bond fund for the Measure S projects,” Chief Business Official Tim Rahill wrote in a report to the board. “The Series A bond funds are available now to be spent on Measure S school facility projects.”
Series B and C are planned to be issued in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

Measure S school facility bond projects are grouped into four categories: health, safety and security improvements; modernization and technology upgrades; infrastructure improvements; and student support facilities.

The funding for Series A Bond projects is currently projected with $10.6 million for health and safety improvements; $2.9 million for modernization and technology; $4.3 million for support facilities; and $2.2 million for infrastructure.

“Priority has been given to projects in Health/Safety/Security, and many of those projects have been included in Series A, since those funds are available now,” Rahill said.

Among the projects he listed are replacing and installing fire alarms; upgrading bells, clocks, intercoms and phones; and making door hardware compliant with the American Disabilities Act.

In other business, Rahill will also present the 2014-15 First Interim Financial Report.

Using information from the Legislature-approved California state budget as well as the new State Local Control Funding Formula (LCCF) for schools and certain budget assumptions, Rahill wrote that BUSD will operate at a loss of about $600,000 for the 2014-15 fiscal year, a shortfall that is being covered by one-time reserves.

One of the budget assumptions for 2014-15 is that the district will continue to receive the majority of its funds from the state based on the new LCCF, under which all restricted categorical funds are rolled into base funding per student, plus a supplemental grant add-on for English learners, local socioeconomic students and foster youth.

The LCCF provides BUSD about $6,804 per student, and the funding is based on attendance of the students, not just enrollment.

Rahill will report that revenues budgeted for the 2014-15 school year are a bit over $37.5 million ($37,497,723), with $32,714,251 coming from the LCCF, $1,241,549 from other state sources, $1,170,990 from the federal government and $2,370,933 from local and other sources.

Expenses budgeted for the school year are nearly $38.1 million, however, exceeding the district’s income by $600,122, Tahill wrote. Budgeted expenses are $19,883,813 for certificated staff salaries, $5,979,751 for classified staff salaries, $6,272,062 for employee benefits, $1,708,031 for supplies and $4,254,188 for services.

Rahill recommends the board review and approve the 2014-15 First Interim Financial Report.

Also on Thursday’s agenda is a request by Rahill to review and file the independent auditor’s report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, and Deputy Superintendent Michael Gardner’s request that trustees consider and approve a new job description for the Food Service Production Worker Intern.

If You Go
The BUSD Governing Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. in a closed session, then at 7 p.m. in open session in the BUSD board room, 350 East K St.