The Coffee County Budget & Finance Committee on March 20 approved three budget amendments that move existing funds within the school system budget to cover benefit increases, an interim director contract and payout of accrued vacation for the former director.

Committee Chair opened the meeting in Conference Room 1 and added an item to the public-comment agenda to elect a committee secretary; Laura Meadows was elected by voice vote.

The first amendment, labeled Budget Amendment No. 9, moved money among line items to cover higher-than-expected costs in employee benefits (vision, dental, medical, retirement), salary adjustments tied to years of service, software purchases, bus parts and increased utilities. April (staff member) told the committee the amendment does not affect the fund balance and was a routine internal reallocation. A motion to approve was made by Lynn (committee member) and seconded by Tim Brown (committee member); the committee approved the amendment by voice vote, with the chair abstaining from the vote because of ties to the school system.

Budget Amendment No. 10 drew more discussion. April said the amendment shifts existing budgeted dollars to pay for an interim directors contract. Several commissioners questioned why the county had hired an interim director before seeking the committees approval of the funding move and asked for an explanation of the directors dismissal. Commissioner Seaborn (committee member) and others said constituents had contacted them and that no public explanation had been provided for the dismissal. Ballard (county attorney) told the committee that, on the advice of counsel, the legal circumstances surrounding the directors dismissal are not appropriate for discussion in this forum and that the appropriate place for a fuller public discussion would be the Board of Education or an executive session involving counsel. April said the amendment similarly does not change fund balance and that the money was being reallocated from other school budget lines. A motion to approve was made and seconded; after discussion the committee approved the amendment by voice vote with the chair voting to abstain.

Budget Amendment No. 11 was presented to pay out 18 days of accrued vacation to the former director, a payment April said was required under attorney advice. The amendment also involved moving existing budgeted funds and did not require new county dollars. Committee members asked whether the payout had already been made and where the money was coming from; April confirmed the payout followed attorney guidance and that funding was moved from existing budget lines. After discussion, the motion to approve passed by voice vote with the chair abstaining.

Committee members and staff repeatedly emphasized that the amendments moved funds already in the school budget rather than asking the county for additional appropriations. Ballard and other speakers told the committee that further details about the directors dismissal could be addressed through the Board of Education and, if necessary, in executive session with counsel.

The committee set a deadline for the school board to provide a full proposed budget on April 24 so the commission can proceed with county-wide budget work.