ROANOKE RAPIDS — The Roanoke Rapids Board of Education received some much-needed good news last night in the form of a $219,981 surplus which will be added to the school system’s fund balance appropriation, bringing the total fund balance to nearly $1.2 million.

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 During discussions of the 2009-2010 budget resolution, Finance Officer Barbara White told the board “I think all in all with the year that we’ve had and the cutbacks and the freezes from the state, it’s turned out a lot better than we thought it would at first.” According to White, the fund balance has remained relatively stable since the same time last year, when it totaled $932,956.

Other budget items up for approval included the local current expense fund appropriation of $5,011,600; the state public schools fund appropriation of $17,016,480; the federal grants fund appropriation of $2,591,420; and the child nutrition fund appropriation of $1,437,586. Also included were appropriations for capital outlay fund revenue totaling $346,420, and Place to Play fund appropriations of $323,000. Following a brief discussion, the board unanimously approved the budget resolution.

 Board member Mike Salanik praised the school system’s staff for their ingenuity in working within the current budget constraints. “The bottom line is we’ve been able to do the job and still conserve tax dollars to educate the children,” he told the board. “We’ve been able to accomplish our mission with the severe cutbacks and I think the superintendent and staff have done a great job.”

Turning to discussions of the Child Nutrition program, the board voted to extend the school system’s contracts with vendors supplying chemicals, bakery goods, vended water and juice as well as vended snacks. Under terms of the North Carolina Procurement Alliance, the school system put up for bid their contract for the meat, fruits, vegetables and groceries, snacks, supplies and ice cream lots. The board approved a recommendation to award the contract to SYSCO-Raleigh through July 31, 2010.

In other good news, Child Nutrition Director Leann Seelman informed the board the school system was due to receive a portion of the $3.3 million in stimulus money allocated to the state, which she hopes to use to purchase a new delivery truck.

Earlier in the evening the board heard a personnel report from Personnel Director Dottie Wardsworth concerning the hiring of four new Roanoke Rapids High School teachers, two math instructors, one English and one social studies instructor. Wardsworth also notified the board of the retirement of RRHS Math Teacher Betty S. Davis and Chaloner CTE Teacher Diane Gordon as well as the transfer of Manning Kindergarten Teacher Leighann Beam, who will now teach Pre-K students at Clara Hearne. Wardsworth also informed the board there are currently middle school vacancies for language arts, family and consumer science/life skills and science teachers. Wardsworth said there are also vacancies in drafting, food and nutrition/culinary arts, science and marketing in grades 9-12.

In other business the board:

• Approved a resolution to renew the contracts of Belmont Elementary Teacher Michele L. Lithgow and Chaloner Middle School Teacher Tameka L. McFarland.

• Accepted a letter from Halifax Community College President Ervin Griffin asking for the board’s support in the effort to re-appoint Rev. Robert Knight to the Halifax Community College Board of Trustees.