By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Chief Business Officer Tim Rahill presented the draft budget information for the 2013-14 school year at a special meeting of the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees on Thursday.

Most of the $33.8 million in the draft budget comes from the state, Rahill said, with about $1.1 million coming from federal sources and $2.2 million from local sources; much of the latter comes from special service funding.

But as Rahill told trustees, what the district’s final budget actually looks like is still anyone’s guess.

“This revenue budget is under current law assumptions. As we all have heard, (Gov. Jerry Brown) and the Legislature is considering a new way to fund school districts in 13-14,” Rahill said. “That has been changing and being modified daily. We will include the latest information on that proposal next week and the impact that it might have on our school district.”

Rahill said it is important to note that once the state approves a budget, all school districts have 45 days to update their budget. “We’re required to produce a budget for 13-14 based on the best information available,” he said.

“Would it have a positive or negative impact on us based upon what we’re hearing at this point?” Trustee Steve Messina asked.

“What we’re hearing is that it should supply a slightly better financial picture for most districts,” Rahill said. “We still don’t have the details to confirm if that does in fact mean that our Benicia school district would do better under the proposal.”

He continued: “They are calling the latest proposal the ‘compromise’ which takes the governor’s proposal and modifies it. I haven’t seen the positive impact that has been reported by our coalition. So we have communications to the coalition right now to confirm whether or not this actually means more funding for our school district.”

Adams relayed the contents of a recent conference call with Assemblymember Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, who represents Benicia. “She wanted to hear from districts in our area about the compromise proposal,” Adams said. “Certainly the Legislature is trying to address some of the concerns of suburban districts like ours. I know that’s the intent, but we really haven’t been able to find that in the bottom line yet.

“Some districts in California are going to get a lot more money. Some of us, it’s really too soon to tell.”

The board will meet again June 20 to approve the latest revision of the 2013-14 budget.

In other business, two new district employees were welcomed by trustees.

Marie Morgan, the new assistant superintendent of educational services, last worked in San Ramon, where she was the director of instruction and staff development. She starts at BUSD July 1.

“Marie is very forward thinking, creative and innovative,” Superintendent Janice Adams said. “I’m thrilled to have her on board.”

“I am excited and truly honred to be joining a district and community that honors education on the level that you all do,” Morgan said. “I could not be more honored and thrilled.”

Morgan replaces Dr. Karen Dubrule, director of curriculum.

The other new hire, Dr. Carolyn Patton, replaces Dr. Linda Cole, who recently retired from her position as director of special services.

Patton comes from Mt. Diablo Unified School District, where she was administrator of special education.

“Dr. Patton also comes with glowing recommendations,” Adams said. “The people that she works with don’t want her to leave.”

Patton said when Adams called to offer her the position, “I told her, ‘You just offered me my dream job.’”

Though she appreciated her time in the Mt. Diablo district, which is much larger than the Vacaville district she formerly worked at, “what I missed the most was the connection with the community,” Patton said. “I am looking forward to being back in a smaller district, and in a district that values education.”