Selma City Schools proposed a fiscal year budget tighter than the FY 2014 budget for the betterment of the school system.

Selma City School’s Chief Financial Officer Grindal Harris, introduced the proposed budget for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2015 at the first of two public budget hearings, which are required by state law. The proposed budget reflects $34.5 million in total revenue and $34.4 in total expenditures, leaving the school district with $2.7  million in expected reserves.

“It’s a good balance of trying to take the revenues we have coming in, balancing them with the expenditures and trying to take care of some of our needs,” Acting Selma Superintendent of Education Larry DiChiara said. “There are a lot of needs, more than the little money we get can take care of. You have to pick and choose which projects or which needs need to be taken care of first.”

DiChiara, who spent several months working closely with Harris on the proposed budget, said the system has budgeted in several renovations and repairs for multiple facilities. Those additional projects contributed greatly to a decreased reserve fund.

DiChiara said the decrease was expected considering the need to repair 200 broken windows, repaint school building walls covered in peeling paint, eradicate mold, replace ceiling tiles, help fund athletic and curriculum programs, upgrade salary schedules and more.

“When you put money into those things, it might impact the budget,” DiChiara said. “It might even reduce your reserve a little bit, but it’s okay. As long as we keep a healthy reserve we’re okay, but we can’t neglect things that need to be taken care of.”

The Selma City School Board will conduct the second budget hearing at the Selma High School Library Tuesday at 5 p.m. The hearing will be followed by the system’s regularly scheduled 6 p.m. board meeting also held at the Selma High School Library.

A recommendation to approve the budget will be made during the board meeting.