TPS budget includes $3.3 million cash carryover

Members of the Tucumcari Public Schools board last Monday approved a $15.1 million operating budget for 2024-2025 that includes a $3.3 million carryover when the fiscal year begins on July 1.

The cash will prove critical, as Tucumcari will have to absorb costs on a few teachers and aides that were covered by coronavirus relief funds.

The federal Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief Fund required 20% of it to be spent on academics. Those funds will sunset in December.

When pressed by board members how much the district would have to absorb, interim superintendent Dave Johnson estimated about $300,000.

New superintendent Carl Marano, who assumes his position on July 1, said the district is “in pretty good shape” financially.

“We’ll be able to keep those programs going,” he said.

When asked by board member Jerry Lopez what is the minimum cash the district should have on hand going into a new fiscal year, Johnson replied he would like to have $1.5 million.

Johnson and Marano noted the operating budget assumes a four-day school week when classes resume this fall.

The New Mexico Public Education Department this spring implemented a 180-day instruction rule that essentially requires nearly all districts to have a five-day week.

However, the state’s school superintendents association and more than 50 district filed a suit and blocked the rule until its legality is ascertained.

Because of the slow pace of litigation, Marano said “it would be next year” before the five-day instruction week is implemented, if at all.

In other business:

— The board approved a 2024-2025 stipend salary schedule with the knowledge some amounts might change in the coming months.

Marano said officials soon would compare stipends for sports and other extracurricular activities to other schools. He said the number of participants in each activity and the length of the season would be major factors.

Marano said he would consult with athletic director Wayne Ferguson and interim superintendent Johnson on changes.

He said he also would consult with business manager Monica Martinez on how stipend changes would affect the fiscal year’s budget, but surmised the effect would be “minimal.”

Lopez said he wanted to increase the stipend for middle-school wrestling because of its large number of participants.

Marano said he was thinking of adding a stipend for an assistant coach for cheerleading because the team works sporting events for almost the entire school year.

“That’s a heavy load,” he said.

Lopez also asked whether the district should add personnel for groundskeeping at its ball fields, especially when one member of the maintenance staff is due to retire.

Administrative assistant Veronica Hernandez said current maintenance personnel said they wanted to try to maintain the fields for now.

“It seems like they’re keeping up with it,” she said.

— The board approved a cash transfer totaling $3,560.64 after Martinez said errors were found involving a lack of a journal entry or a late reimbursement request.

Lopez expressed concern whether the errors would lead to a unfavorable audit finding. But several officials weren’t sure auditors would flag it because the district found and is correcting the errors.

Board member Matthew Pacheco noted the total amount corrected was less than 0.01% of the total budget.

“That’s a very, very small percentage,” he said. “In the grand scheme of things, it’s very, very small.”