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August 27, 2008

Money matters scheduled for PAISD

By David Ball

PORT ARTHUR — Budgetary items dominate the agenda for the upcoming Port Arthur Independent School District board of trustees meeting.

Trustees will consider adopting the 2008-’09 budget with total revenue of $95.8 million and total expenditures of $73.7 million at their regular meeting beginning at 6 p.m. at the Stilwell Technical Center, 4801 9th Ave. in Port Arthur. Prior to the regular meeting, a public hearing will be held on the tax rate at 5:35 p.m.

The board, too, will deem the proposed maintenance and operation tax rate of $1.04 per $100 of taxable value for the 2008 appraisal roll and the interest and sinking fund tax rate of $.2711 per $100 of taxable value for the 2008 appraisal roll.

Teachers, administrators, clerical/technical employees and manual trades will be considered for raises.

Phyllis Geans, assistant superintendent for business and finance previously told The News salary increases were scheduled for teachers totaling $1,700 for each. Teacher salaries will begin at $40,000. Non-exempt employees, such as teacher’s aides, etc., will see a general increase of 3 percent. District administrators will have a 2.5 percent increase, if approved.

Trustees will listen to a first reading of the district’s policy on compensation and benefits, salaries, wages and stipends. According to the policy, Superintendent Johnny Brown may provide stipends to staff in critical shortage areas such as mathematics, bilingual/ESL, science, special education and foreign language. Brown would report any such pay increases to the board of trustees.

In other financial matters, a foreign trade zone exemption and tax equivalency payment agreement between the district and Valero will be considered. The district formerly had agreements with Valero’s predecessors Premcor and Clark Refining to exempt inventories and products from ad valorem taxes levied. Under this agreement, Valero shall make an incentive payment to PAISD of $325,000 on Oct. 1, 2008.

The board will consider approval of an oil and gas lease from Karbuhn Oil Company for acreage of land in Port Acres. The district owns 50 percent of the mineral interest in the tract of land. Karbuhn desires 12.5 net mineral acres from PAISD and the following:

• Bonus consideration: $150 per net mineral acre for a paid-up lease

• Royalty: 1/5 (20 percent)

• Primary term: three years (paid-up)

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