Things to know about our District’s use of the ESSERs Funds:
- The monies are to be expended under the current rules of budgeting in Nebraska.
- This means if you are buying “things”, it must run through the general fund.
- If you are “replacing” things, you must run it through the general fund.
- If you are constructing/expanding facilities, you must still use Special Building Funds. This will require us to:
- expend money from the Special Building Fund
- receive the Essers Reimbursement into the General Fund
- transfer the funds into the Special Building Fund as an expense
- The bottom line of the above, is that the General Fund budget will be “artificially” inflated for the 2021-22 budget year. These expenses are not typical district expenses and are generally 1 time expenditures of “flow through” funds and NOT local tax dollars.
- Our 2021-22 Budget increased 16.7%
- Realistically, without accounting for the ESSERS funds, our budget increased only 2.2% and our tax request has been lowered for the 3rd consecutive year!
- Here is what we plan to use our ESSERS money for:
Essers II ($586,984.00)
- HVAC in 2 gym areas
- Air Purification
- Replacement of seating in Auditorium
- Training and Curriculum
- Technology
- Attorney/architect fees
- Vehicles
ESSERS III ($1,319,203.00)
- New Staff (for 2.5 years, then the district will decide to continue or not). This represents the 20% we must use for learning loss
- Additional Elem. teacher
- Additional Special Education teacher
- Additional School Psychologist
- Full Time Substitute Teacher
- HVAC System Improvements
- Possible expansion of rooms
- Attorney/Architect Fees
Stephen L. Grizzle, Superintendent
Fairbury Public Schools