District Oversight Leads to Postponement of Budget Vote

Superintendent Rick Mills recommended board members postpone approval of the final budget until Tuesday, Sept. 17. 

The date falls just before the state mandated deadline of Sept. 18, officials said, not making the cutoff could be a risk much of the district's state funding. 

The final budget was not available online for public viewing until Sunday morning. On Friday, a Bradenton Herald article indicated the budget would not be viewable until after Monday's school board vote.

Mills issued a statement Sunday taking responsibility for the failure to post, the Herald reported.

Since the tentative budget was released, the district has added an additional 85 teachers required by increased enrollment, a change discussed at a public hearing Aug. 29. 

The cost associated with hiring the 85 additional teachers is approximately $4.3 million, according to Mike Barber, district spokesperson. Barber said funding the positions will come from $2.1 million in increased FTE from the state, $1.2 million in additional Title I funding and $1 million, which was built into the 2013-2014 tentative budget to cover costs incurred with hiring additional instructional staff.