By David Vitrano
L’Observateur

RESERVE—At the last meeting of the St. John the Baptist parish School Board, Felix Boughton, executive director of business and finance, presented the amended budget and salary schedule for the 2008-2009 school year as well as the original salary schedule and comprehensive budget for the 2009-2010 school year.

According to Boughton, last school year’s financial documents had to be amended because they varied more than 5 percent from the original plans. Boughton said the variance was due to the introduction of hurricane funds and stimulus money into the system during the course of the last school year.

Additionally, the original salaries for receptionists and cafeteria managers in the district were found to be below the national average, so an extra $1,000 was added to the annual salary of each.

The budget for the 2009-2010 school year lists nearly $67 million in total revenue and nearly $72 million in total expenditures, meaning nearly $5 million will have to come out of the current surplus, leaving just over $4.5 million in the general fund at the end of next school year.

The school board approved all the items.