EPSB reviews finances, bus transportation

The Evangeline Parish School Board received a brief overview of the proposed 2014-2015 fiscal year budget Wednesday, August 20, during the board’s regular meeting.
According to Amy Lafleur, chief financial officer, the total expenditures budgeted for this current fiscal year is $59,712,810.69, approximately 80 percent of which goes toward salaries and benefits for employees. Costs for salaries and benefits will increase approximately $140,000 for this year over last year. In addition to this, the district is also losing approximately $1 million in MFP for the year. MFP is funding the school district receives per student enrolled in that district.
Lafleur stated she is concerned about the future, as far as finances are concerned, and that it looks somewhat “bleak.” However, Lafleur also presented the sales tax comparison report, which showed that for the month of July, the parish school system received $658,875, an increase of $24,382. While this increase was not substantial, Lafleur said she was happy to see the fiscal year “starting off on the right foot.”
The board will hold a public hearing for comment on the proposed budget during its first September meeting before officially adopting it.
In other business, the board heard from Lance Enkey with First Student, the company that provides transportation for students to and from school each day, who stated that so far, after five days of school, “everything has gone well.” First Student buses transport approximately 4,850 students and travel over 5,000 each day.
Enkey added that First Student is short on bus drivers at the moment, but there are immediate plans to hire six new drivers.