JACKSON SCHOOL BOARD OKS PROJECT WITH CITY

JACKSON -- The Jackson Board of Education accepted an audit on school finances and gave tentative approval to a joint project with the city of Jackson during a meeting Tuesday night at the Jackson Middle School.

School auditor Jim Hillin told board members that administrators had maintained "a very good record" of the district's revenues and expenditures for the 1996-97 school year which ended June 30. In his final report, he said that very few problems were found, although several recommendations were made for changes in the district's accounting system.

"The Jackson school district keeps a very good record of their expenses and documents it very well," he said. "There is a new accounting system that should provide more readily the information pertaining to various budget items."

Hillin reported that the district's total fund equity amounted to a little more than $13 million equity. This equity was divided into four categories, he said, including: general revenues, $3,825,000; special revenues, $0 (a zero balance is maintained in this category annually); capital projects $8,550,464; and debt service, $724,274.

Hillin said five funding sources contributed to the district's total fund equity. Local sources contributed more than 52 percent. An additional four percent was chipped in from county resources and less than one percent came from tuition fees paid by out-of-district students. The remaining funding was provided from state and federal agencies, contributing 40 and three percent, respectively.

The district exceeded budgeted amounts for the school year in the general, special revenues, debt service and capital projects funds, Hillin said. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education permits districts to adjust their budgets in these cases, he said, but it must be done prior to the end of the fiscal year. Hillin did not foresee any action from the department of education because of the overspending.

"In my experience I've never seen that to be an issue with DESE," he said.

In other business, board members gave tentative approval to a request from city officials to drill a water well in the southeast corner of the Jackson Middle School property site. Superintendent Dr. Howard Jones said city officials had been advised to locate a new well on the west side of town due to better water quality and pressure.

The middle school site was a good location because of its remoteness from the areas in use by the school and because of its proximity to Route D.

"In my judgment, it would not affect any future development we might consider at this site," Jones said.

JACKSON BOARD OF EDUCATION

Agenda Action Items

-- Accepted of 1996-97 audit.

-- Approved request from City of Jackson to drill city water well on Middle School site.

-- Executive Session -- Employment, personnel evaluation and real estate. Authority is Section 610.021, Para. 2, 3 and 13, Revised Statures of Missouri, as amended.