MCKENZIE, Tenn. — The McKenzie Special School District Board of Education approved a $15.7 million budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year at its meeting Tuesday, July 7, along with a certified property tax rate that keeps the district’s rate unchanged.
The tax rate remains $.7483 per $100 of assessed value. Out of that rate, $.4898 will go to the general fund and $.2585 goes toward the district’s debt service fund.
The board passed the tax rate unanimously without discussion.
Board members then turned to the 2026-27 budget itself, which Barden described as “balanced” and “reflective of a strong year for the district’s finances”.
The approved budget totals $15,723,061 across all funds and represents a 3.1% increase in the general purpose fund over the current year.
It includes a proposed 3% raise plus a $1,000 bonus for all district employees, along with a $1.10 hourly wage increase and a separate $1,000 bonus for cafeteria staff.
Starting pay for cafeteria workers will rise to $11 an hour from $10.
The general purpose fund, which covers 128 full-time employees and 35 to 40 substitute teachers, totals $13,476,896 and is funded primarily by state TISA funds along with local sales and property taxes.
The federal projects fund totals $763,334.
The central cafeteria fund totals $1,003,200, and the education debt service fund totals $475,639, which covers scheduled payments on the district’s $4 million bond issue for the McKenzie High School all-purpose facility.
That debt is set to be paid off April 1, 2032.
The budget passed without further discussion.
Facilities updates
Barden also updated the board on several ongoing facilities projects.
Fencing work is set to begin next week, pending weather. Barden said he expects the project to take about a week to complete once underway.
The middle school bathroom renovation will not move forward this summer.
Barden said the timeline was too tight given the flooring work involved, and the project has been rescheduled for June 2027, with partitions already ordered.
The elementary gym flooring project remains in question.
Barden said the flooring contractor was waiting to hear back from the manufacturer about material availability, and that a push into next summer is possible.
Barden said the district does not expect significant cost increases on delayed projects.
Finance director Brad Davis noted that funds for the delayed projects have already been reserved from 2025-26 monies and purchase orders have been cut, meaning any price difference carried into next year’s budget would be minor.
Painting work at the middle school gym is still planned for this summer, though restroom painting will be held until next year, when the middle school bathrooms are fully renovated.
Barden also reminded the board that teacher in-service begins July 27, with the first day of school for students on Aug. 4.