Big Budget Surplus - Just think of it! The St. Mary's County Board of Education's operating budget for the Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2005 has a $2.6 million dollar surplus as of July 27.

The school system's Chief Financial Officer, Dan Carney, noted that additional bills could be received for FY `05 up through August 31. But as we stand now there is a $2.6 million surplus.

Part of the surplus was a more generous payment from the Federal Government than expected, $977,116 more. Is the federal payment in the budget a deliberate underestimation, or were the feds just extra generous? We'll probably never have an answer for that question.

The other part of the surplus was an over budgeting of “Fixed Charges.” “Fixed Charges” is the place where the school system accounts for employment taxes, such as state and federal unemployment, and for health insurance charges. The Board of Education's $122,979,941 budget contained $1,994,909 more in “Fixed Charges” than was needed. The federal payment excess and the over-budgeting of fixed charges total $2,877,116.

Even after subtracting a series of lesser budget overruns, such as a $74,635 overrun for special education costs, $18,502 in excess student transportation costs, a $11,787 cost overrun in administrative salaries, etc., there is still a $2.6 million surplus.

Do you remember when the Public School Retirees Association was asking for $50,000 to help retired employees of age 65 or over pay for their health insurance? The Board of Education declined to allow that, and instead added $25,000 to the FY `06 budget. The Board members seemed to think they couldn't afford $50,000. Clearly that was not true, and one wonders if the Board of Ed really didn't know there was going to be a whomping surplus this year, or if they just didn't really want to help the school system's retirees to the extent that the retirees need help.

Rumors About the Acquisition of the Oscar Buchanan Property - One County Commissioner is telling everyone that he has seen a purchase contract between a developer and three of the four heirs to the Buchanan property. According to this Commissioner, the Board of Education knew the developer wanted to purchase the property, and also knew the developer intended to donate the property to the Board of Education for a middle school site. Further, according to this Commissioner, the reason the Board of Education hastened the purchase of the Buchanan property was to prevent the donation of that property. It seems the Board wasn't sure it wanted to put a middle school on the site.

If this Commissioner is right, and I suspect he is, our Board of Education decided to prevent the donation of a school site it finds acceptable at a cost to the taxpayers of perhaps $1,000,000 or so. Do the taxpayers think it is worth $750,000 or so to keep that site from being a middle school? If you would prefer to allow the school system to accept donated land, you need to get on the telephone and call the Board Members. Tell them to allow the developer to contribute the site.

By the way, if the developer would like to show me the contract, I will preserve his privacy. He can e-mail me clare@clarewhitbeck.com or call me.