The School board voted 5-3 Thursday night to pass Superintendent Dallemand's proposed 2013 budget. Board members Lynn Farmer, Susan Sipe and Gary Bechtel voted against the budget over concerns of approximately $8 million that will come from the system's reserve fund.

"I can't support a budget that goes into reserves $8 million that we've worked so hard to build without some sort of concrete plan put in front of us at this point to replenish it," says Gary Bechtel.

A major concern expressed at Thursday's meeting was whether the reserve fund was being used to implement Dallemand's Strategic plan.

"I remember a question was asked of Dr. Dallemand in one of our board meetings. If we don't have enough money to fund a strategy, what would we do? And he told us we would not go ahead with that strategy," says Susan Sipes.

School Board President, Tommy Barnes, notes that the 2013 budget is $22,000 less than the 2012 budget despite having to make up for a loss of $8 million in state funding.

Farmer feels like too much money is being spent outside the classroom and sites large salaries in the Central Office.

"I look at the salaries of the people that came out of this office when we cut positions and I look at the salaries that people are making now. I don't feel comfortable with it. I mean, there are some high salaries on here," says Lynn Farmer.

Ron Collier, the school system’s chief financial officer, says that as a whole the 2013 budget actually spends $105,000 less on salaries than in 2012.

Dr. Dallemand says the budget represents a defining moment in our District. The 2013 budget includes increased employee benefit costs without raising property taxes or implementing employee furlough days.