TRINITY — The Trinity ISD Board of Regents started the annual budget process at a pair of July meetings and focused on facilities and pay raises for staff.
Superintendent Dr. John Kaufman said the board put for some corrections they wanted to make, mostly to the rate for hourly employees and to adjust for balance.
He said that while the Texas Legislature did provide funds for raises for support staff, it wasn’t much, so the board, at a special meeting, approved a $3 per hour raise.
The additional funds will also help employees pay for a $43 premium increase for employee health insurance, which the board voted against paying and will be passed on to employees.
Kaufman said the district does pay a large percentage of health insurance, leaving employees to pay about $73 per month.
Teachers got the raise that was approved by the legislature, and the board approved a 3 percent raise for non-administrative personnel and 4 percent for administration, he said.
Also discussed in budget talks were facilities and life expectancy of equipment. Kaufman said that the district intends to be proactive toward replacing things before it becomes an emergency.
Kaufman said that the board approved a tax rate will be ½ cent less than last year, continuing a trend that at least has gone for 9 years of lowering the tax rate.
In other business, the trustees:
