Schools go to the Capitol Reserve Fund for help

The Capital Reserve Fund was establishd by the Botetourt Board of Supervisor over a decade ago for the School Division to place left over funds by June 30 every year. According to state code, school divisions cannot roll over funds. So this has allowed a place to put funds that have traditionally been at tops a couple of hundred thousand dollars or as little as in the thousands.

It has been a good way to have some funds for emergency of unseen needs.This year safety needs for school bus cameras and other assorted safety features not included in the school budget required immediate attention.

School Superintendent Dr. Jonathan Russ after his introduction to the board, told of the needs since the division needed BoS approval for access. the total was $331, 218 which leaves $215, 576 in the Capital Reserve Fund. The Board approved the appropriation.

The Board of Supervisors approved 2. 5 million dollars from the General Fund last Fall for rhe completion of Colonial Elementary School. The Supervisors as representatives of Botetourt County are allowed by state code to roll over funds from one year to the next. They voted to roll over the funds.

The supervisors also committed over $158,000 of Federal CARES Funds to the schools to purchase Chrome Books for middle and upper elementary schools.

While Chairman Billy Martin had said in his latest video the new Colonial school construction manager would provide a full update on the course of the construction, that did not happen. (Likely because there has yet to be a recent update to the School Board who should hear it first.)

School is set to open on August 24. We have a cool video of what to expect produced by BCPS on our Facebook page. Watch it!

–Story by Cathy Benson Icon photo