Second of three school budget readings

An infusion of $2 million into the public schools as the result of action from a Duke tax appeal is going to help the Oconee public schools with their deficit spending, but it won’t be enough to cover the shortfalls that the trustees are anticipating for the rest of this year and next year. Jerry Lee, the chairman of the trustees board, says the second of three required readings for a new budget for 2020-21, was given last night during the board’s regular May meeting. And second reading came without the public making any comments or asking questions as part of a public hearing held during the board’s virtual meeting. According to Lee, the school district may have nowhere else to turn to balance the budget other than a further drawdown of its fund balance reserve account.