Manatee Schools Superintendent Releases Final Budget

BRADENTON – Manatee County School District Superintendent Rick Mills released the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Final Budget on the school district’s website Sunday, September 8. The Final Budget is scheduled to be voted on by the Manatee County School Board at a third and final public hearing on the budget scheduled for 5:45 p.m. Monday, September 9, 2013, in the Board Chambers at the School Support Center in Bradenton.

Below is a statement from Superintendent Mills regarding release of the Final Budget:

“One of my top priorities as a Superintendent is to restore public trust in our school district through complete transparency. To that end, we have held two previous public hearings on the 2013-2014 budget – one more than required by statute – and we have published a comprehensive list of budget-related documents on our school district’s website that include the 2013-2014 Tentative Budget, a letter from me regarding the budget, a School Internal Accounts Payback Schedule, a 2013-2014 Budget Overview and a 2013-2014 Line Item Budget.

"However, there has been a discrepancy regarding the release of the Final Budget that will be the subject of a third and final public hearing tomorrow evening. While the Final Budget was released to members of the Manatee County School Board late last week, it was not posted to our school district website as intended for the public to view.

"I take full responsibility for that oversight. As soon as I became aware of that situation, I took immediate actions to remedy it and the Fiscal Year 2013-2014 Final Budget was posted earlier today on our website under ‘Hot Topics’. Again, as Superintendent I am committed to full and complete transparency in all aspects of our school district. I look forward to working with our School Board and public to finalize this budget as we move forward. ”