JOHN COFFELTEditor

Coffee County Schools submitted a revised 2024-25 annual budget to the County at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting May 30 that includes an increase in pay from 6% to 7% for all employees.

Director of Schools Dr. Charles Lawson told the committee that because of the system will see better than estimated money from local taxes and from the state’s new funding formula, the additional percent directed to raises would have virtually the same impact to the schools’ fund balance as the former budget that included a 6% raise.

“We have received revised estimates from both state and local bodies,” Lawson said. “The state sent us a revision on the new TEFA funding formula that was $150,000 above what we had budgeted. From local revenue, we received further clarification and those revenues came in about $190,000 above what we had budgeted.”

Lawson said that a 1% increase in pay cost the county about $350,000. The additional revenue comes in $2,800 short of that $350,000.

The Coffee County Board of Education approved the budget with now a 7% increase in employee pay at its last meeting. Passing the Budget and Finance Committee, that budget will get final approval from the Full Commission in the coming months.

The schools’ 2024-25 budget estimates total expenditures of $52.1 million, up from the previously submitted $51.7 million budget. The schools estimates closing this year’s budget with $14.5 million in the fund balance.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.