For the 2017-2018 school year, the Lafayette County School District will see an increase in its budget.

The district’s Business Manager Mark Brown says the budget proposed is $28,047,507, a $2 million increase from the previous year.

“There are several factors in this increase,” Brown explained in an email. “Because of the enrollment growth of our school district, we are adding eight teacher positions.  We are adding two modular units for the elementary schools due to increase enrollment.  Just recently, the school district refinanced a three mill note for an additional $1,250,000.  This amount is part of the $2,000,000.”

The fund uses include a renovation of the middle school’s auditorium, the purchase of five new buses and a boardroom renovation.

“We are in need of additional classroom space,” Brown added. “We have been planning with our finance attorney and architect for several years on building a new elementary school.

“We believe through this planning we can build this elementary school in a couple of years without an increase in taxes for our local taxpayers.”

An open public forum to discuss the budget will be held tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the Lafayette High School library. At the meeting, a proposed ad valorem tax effort will be discussed as well.

According to a public notice, “any citizen of Lafayette County School District is invited to attend this public hearing on the proposed ad valorem tax effort, and will be allowed to speak for a reasonable amount of time and offer tangible evidence before a vote is taken.”