MOORE HAVEN -- The Glades County School District approved in a 5-0 vote a 2022-2022 fiscal year budget during a special board meeting Sept. 16.

The total budget is $28,733,881.23, with $22,320,676.79 budgeted for the General Fund, $4,430,998.40 for Special Revenue and $1,982,216.04 in Capital Projects and a millage rate of 5.8690.

Superintendent Dr. Beth Barfield said that approximately 85% of its budget is personnel.

“You’ve got teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers, custodians,” she said. “We feel that although our budget is very tight, we feel that we did a good job making sure that all of our expenditures were covered and that we have a very healthy budget.”

Barfield said the school district is constantly looking at its budget throughout the year.

“We’re very concerned that we are good stewards of the taxpayer’s money,” she said. “We are currently trying to gear up for the possibility of building a new elementary school, as some of the things we are working on.”

The new budget makes no provisions for the new school which was built in the mid-1960s and is estimated to cost about $16 million to build. While a site has not been chosen for the new building, the district is currently working with the state of Florida to complete all the required paperwork to start the application for funding.

Also not included in the budget is the possibility of adding another wing at West Glades School due to its growth in student population.

“It’s a really exciting time for Glades County,” Barfield said. “There’s growth occurring, our teachers and staff are very supportive of what we’re doing in the schools.”