NATCHEZ — During a special-called board meeting Thursday, the Natchez Adams School District discussed a proposed $42 million operating budget that could increase the district’s ad valorem taxes by 1 mil for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

The proposed budget, which could be approved during the next board meeting, projects the district would have a total of $41,901,935 in revenue and $40,665,389 in expenses for next school year.

This year the district is operating with a total budget of $41,373,988, said district business manager Monica Anderson.

Anderson said the expenses listed in the budget include daily operations for the school district and salaries as well as a few special purchases, including security cameras, modular classrooms at Natchez Early College Academy, band instruments, a heating system for the Braden Administration Building and three vehicles that would be used for district travel, driver’s education classes and a security car.

Anderson said the main sources of revenue for the district include federal and state funding, money from leasing and selling timber on 16th section public school land and ad valorem taxes.

Anderson said a proposed 32.70%, or $13,707,217, of the 2019-2020 budget would be funded through ad valorem taxes.

By the end of the current fiscal year, which is the end of September, the district projects it will have received $13,336,052 from ad valorem tax.

Adams County Administrator Joe Murray said the requested tax dollars could increase the millage rate for the district from 50.52 to 51.52 mils. However, the millage rate would not be definitive until July 1, Murray said.

In other matters during Thursday’s meeting of the Natchez Adams School District, the board:

• Unanimously appointed Larry Hooper to the Natchez Adams Recreation Commission board to replace former board member, Ray Brown.
• Unanimously approved personnel recommendations and procedures.