Commissioners approve school budget

MINERAL COUNTY – Mineral County Commissioners made sure area schools would have enough money to operate for the coming school year and appointed the newest member of the West End Fire Board at their annual meeting Friday, Aug. 15.

Commissioners Laurie Johnston, Duane Simons and Roman Zylawy signed off on the budget for the Alberton and Superior school districts in what is basically a formality as the budget already went through an analysis by other county officials. Mineral County Superintendent of Schools Mary Yarnall said the budgets for those schools this year were similar to past budgets.

“Budgets come from the county and have to be approved by the commissioners,” Yarnall said. “Both budgets were up a little. Alberton just voted in $50,000 for their building reserve. They voted in a levy so it increased their amount a little. Most likely they will be doing some improvements for the schools.”

The total budget for Alberton was approximately $2.5 million while the Superior School District budget was approximately $3.6 million. Yarnall said both budgets passed the scrutiny of county officials.

“They both look good,” Yarnall said. “They are conservative. We are trying to keep taxes down for the taxpayers.”

Commissioner Zylawy said the budget approval was a standard measure the group handles every year before it is sent off to the state for final approval.

“This doesn’t involve us a whole lot,” Zylawy said. “The state is involved with funding the schools, so it’s mainly a case of Mary Yarnall working with them. This was mainly a heads up about where they are at in the process.”

The other item approved by the commissioners was the approval of a new member of the West End Fire Board. Zylawy said while not a lot of information on the individual who volunteered for the position was available, Stephen Goines was the only applicant for the position.

Zylawy said it was unusual for the commissioners to be making this decision. He said it usually falls to the fire district to elect board members.

“Fire districts know when their trustees are coming to an end and they are supposed to advertise that there is an opening so people can apply and run,” Zylawy said. “That’s so the people in those districts can choose their own representatives. That’s the way it’s supposed to work.”

Zylawy said, in this case, it may have been overlooked that a trustee’s or board member’s tenure on the group was coming to an end. He said when that happens, it’s up to the commissioners to appoint someone to the position.

“A gentlemen submitted his name and it came to us because there wasn’t an election,” Zylawy said. “It’s not paid and it’s kind of a thankless volunteer position. It’s about having a vested interest in the community.”