By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

It’s the final meeting of the year for the Benicia Unified School District Governing Board, and it’s also trustees’ annual organizational meeting — meaning they will vote on a president and a clerk.

In addition, when trustees meet Thursday Chief Business Official Tim Rahill will present the first interim financial report, which shows the district operating at a $1.7 million loss in 2013-14.

A key part of the annual organizational meeting is electing a new president and clerk, or re-electing the incumbents. Rosie Switzer currently serves as president, and Gary Wing is clerk.

The board also will approve appointments of trustees as board representatives to various other community committees and groups, including: Solano County School Boards Association; district/city liaison committee; Benicia Youth Action Coalition; district/BHS facilities committee; Valero community advisory; board policy committee; Benicia Community Sustainability Commission; board advocacy/initiative committee/ and district curriculum council.

Finally, they will approve the calendar of board meetings for 2014.

In money matters, Rahill will ask the board to review and approve the 2013-14 financial report, which uses information from the approved California State Budget, with the new state local control funding formula for schools and certain budget assumptions.

One of those assumptions is that for 2013-14, the state has a new LCCF to allocate funds to school districts. All restricted categorical funds have been rolled into a base funding per student, plus a supplemental grant add-on for English-learners, lower socioeconomic students and foster youth, according to Rahill’s report.

“Using the information from the state approved budget, BUSD will be operating at an operating loss of $1.7 million for the 2013-14 fiscal year, which is being covered by one-time reserves for the ‘13-’14 school year,” Rahill wrote.

The new LCCF will provide 82 percent of the district’s 2013-14 budget, or $29,394,830. Other state funding of $2,439,919, federal funding of $1,120,873, and local and other funding of $2,710,076 will bring the district’s budgeted revenues to $35.7 million.

Expenses budgeted for the school year exceed the income by $1,698,341, for a total of $37,364,039. They are:

• $19,711,866 for the salary of certificated employees

• $5,637,466 for the salary of classified employees

• $6,039,657 for employee benefits

• $1,852,757 for supplies

• $4,122,293 for services.

“The $1.7 million operating loss includes the salary costs of the negotiations with the certifcated and classified employee unions and the management/confidential group,” Rahill wrote.

Rahill recommends the board review and approve the 2013-14 first interim financial report.

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