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The board passed its $33 million budget for the 2025 fiscal year, but board members wanted to make sure that their capital budget was included.

Miles said he wouldn’t support voting for the budget if the plan wasn’t included in the budget they were presented. Miles said he wanted to see the capital budget in the annual budget that they approved on Aug. 22.

“What I want you to show us, Mr. Samson, is show me in this budget, the capital project plan, how much money is going to be spent and what it’s going to be spent on for the capital project,” Miles said.

While the other board members agreed that they should approve a budget with the full capital outlay plan, they felt like the capital budget could be included later because the budget was due to the state by Sept. 15, three days after their called meeting and before the next regular meeting.

They did not want to risk an additional finding. The budget passed the budget 4-0 with Miles abstaining.

At the Aug. 22 meeting, the board passed the outlay plan, which includes

• Replace waste treatment plant at Dallas County High School & Valley Grande Elementary, valued at $600,000 to be completed in 2026.
• Baseball field for Southside High School to include fence and bleachers, valued at $400,000 to be completed by 2026.
• Build baseball and softball fields at Keith High School, valued at $400,000 to be completed by 2026.
• Replace tile in several classrooms at Southside High, valued at $50,000 to be completed by 2026.
• Re-Roof or fix leaks at Southside High School and Keith Middle High, valued at $100,000 to be completed by 2026.
• Replace the HVAC at Valley Grande Elementary and William R. Martin Middle, valued at $2.5 million to be completed by 2027.
• Replace all restrooms in instructional buildings at Bruce K. Craig Elementary, valued at $400,000 to be completed by 2027.
• Renovation of Restrooms at Salem Elementary, valued at $400,000 to be completed by 2027 and funded in 2026.
• Renovate bathrooms at J.E.Terry Elementary, valued at $200,000 to be completed by 2028 and funded in 2027.