By Rupert Howell

A public hearing will be held by the South Panola School Board on Friday, June 20,  to give notice of a possible tax increase. The notice hearing will be at noon, followed at 1 p.m. by a budget hearing, also open to the public.

The budget adoption meeting will be held the following Friday, June 27, at noon.

With two new board members added since the last budget adoption, board president Lygunnah Bean set a budget workshop for Thursday, June 5 at 3 p.m. to familiarize the new members with the school’s budgeting process.

Following the adoption of the school district’s budget, it must be presented to the Panola County board of supervisors for the local funding through tax millage by August 15.

During the financial report of the May meeting, Financial Administrator Suzanne Covington said the district had approximately $600,000 in bills for the previous month and noted that $77,000 of that was diesel fuel to operate the school’s bus system.

Covington also told trustees that she hoped to put one million dollars toward capital improvements.

Administrators and trustees are looking to replace trailers with classrooms in Pope as well as all-purpose areas needed with new physical education requirements. Long-range plans include a ninth grade wing at South Panola High School.

Trustees approved a $150 increase including a new pay scale for assistant teachers, with those annual salaries ranging from $13,500 for the new and less experienced assistants to $15,000 for those with 15 years or more experience.

Increases of two percent were approved for food service workers and bus drivers and the principals’ pay scale was increased approximately one percent with additional incentives of $2,000 for additional degrees.

Principal’s current salaries range from $76,500 to $88,000.