By STEPHEN DAWKINS/ Staff Writer

HOOVER – Hoover’s Board of Education approved a budget for Fiscal Year 2017 on Sept. 12 that calls for $167.7 million in revenues and $169.9 million in expenses.

The budget was recommended by Superintendent Kathy Murphy in three parts: The salary schedule, supplements and the budget.

The board approved all three parts but with dissension on the third part from board member Jill Veitch.

Fellow board member Earl Cooper asked Veitch why she voted against the budget. Veitch said that she had not wanted to discuss her objections in a public meeting but indicated that the handling of discretionary funds was a reason.

The budget calls for some schools to receive less discretionary funds than they have in the past. Murphy said there appeared to be no clear reasoning behind the allocation of such funds in the past and that she decided to base the funding on number of students.

Murphy also said discussions about the budget had been ongoing with school administrators.

“I don’t think anybody is shocked and dismayed,” she said.

Projected enrollment and number of administrators and teachers for schools in the system are as follows: Hoover High School (2,922 students and 225.54 administrators and teachers), Spain Park High School (1,654-125.84), Berry Middle School (1,132-85.66), Bumpus Middle School (847-61.85), Simmons Middle School (802-66.62), Brock’s Gap Intermediate School (777-59.87), Bluff Park Elementary School (637-50.50), Deer Valley Elementary School (921-65.35), Green Valley Elementary School (446-42.51), Greystone Elementary School (525-43.57), Gwin Elementary School (523-46.11), Riverchase Elementary School (689-51.09), Rocky Ridge Elementary School (581-52.13), Shades Mountain Elementary School (309-29.65), South Shades Crest Elementary School (655-47.59) and Trace Crossings Elementary School (496-50.62).

The school system’s projected ending fund balance on Oct. 1 is $92.9 million, and the projected ending fund balance on Sept. 30, 2017 is $91 million.

Of the system’s revenues, $86.2 million come from local sources, $74.5 million from state, $6.5 from federal and $430,038 from other sources.

Supplements for 2017 include $1.3 million for athletic supplements and $1 million for non-athletic supplements.

The budget includes about $10.8 million in debt payments during the fiscal year, leaving a total balance of about $172 million in debt.