OZARK, MO — The Ozark R-VI School District handles $109 million tax dollars a year. That’s more than 3 times larger than the entire Christian County budget!
Anyone living in the Ozark school district has a right to know where your money is being spent.
The district throws a lot of fancy charts and graphs around, with enough numbers to make a CPA reach for an Alka Seltzer!
We’ve included some of those mind boggling charts and graphs in picture form, but they aren’t cartoons. They’re not fun to look at. It’s not Instagram or Facebook, or Tiktok.
It’s real life. It’s about a group of people hired by a school board to operate a honkin’ humugo budget any damn way they please.
And they’re getting away with it.
Right in front of your face.
They want you to keep saying, “We’ve got a great school district in Ozark.”
It’s a big district. It’s shiny. It’s flashy. It’s grand.
And it’s corrupt.
You won’t find more corruption or more rehearsed rhetoric anywhere.
Sit back and be wowed.
Or, get off your butt and hold these folks accountable. It’s YOUR tax dollars. NOT theirs.
come out tonight (Dec. 13) and see for yourself
Lori Wilson, Ozark school district CFO, invites patrons to learn how the massive budget is used. Tuesday, Dec. 13 is the second budget meeting open to the public.
The event is slated for 6 p.m. in the old Fasco Building (Ozark Innovative Center) 1600 W Jackson St. Ozark, MO.
Lori’s message to the taxpayers:
Thank you to all that attended our first Bang for the Buck on November 28. Our second Bang for the Buck will be held Tuesday, December 13. The first meeting set the stage, but the meeting on December 13 will dive into more depth on the learning, operations and business divisions. Please do not think you cannot attend if you were not able to be at the first meeting. We want your input and feedback.
Fancy schmancy charts and graphs
Bang for the Buck
November 28, 2022
Why Are We Here Today?
Transparency
• What are our revenue sources?
• Where is our money being spent?
Planning
• 2023-24 budget
Prioritizing
• Provide Board of Education a tool for future decisions.
S Sources of Revenue for Public schools in Missouri
Federal Government Local (county)
• Lunch and Breakfast
Programs
• Title programs
• ECSE
• ARP – Covid
Funding
State Government
• Foundation Formula
• Classroom Trust
• Proposition C
• Fines
• State Assessed Utilities
Local
• Real Estate Taxes
• Property Taxes
Ozark’s Estimated Budget for 2022-23
Revenue
Local $33,937,143
State $31,372,760
County $ 806,000
Federal $ 6,571,001
Other Revenue $ 25,000
Total $72,711,904
How the money may be spent?
Funds
Fund 1 – General Budget (Operating Fund)
Fund 2 – Special (Teachers) Fund
Fund 3 – Debt Service Fund
Fund 4 – Capital Projects Fund
Fund Balance – Funds 1 & 2 are what it takes to operate the school day to day.
Fund Balance is the amount left at the end of each year in funds 1 and 2.
Board goal for this fund is 20%.
Estimated Current Expenses by Fund
General Fund $26,510,263
Special Fund $42,875,737
Debt Service Fund $6,787,337
Capital Projects Fund $32,856,586
TOTAL $109,029,923
Expenditures Comparison by Fund
Ozark’s 2022-23 Estimated Budget
Prioritizing Goals – Your Assignment
Respond to one of the two following statements.
○ What does something cost? What would you like to know about a program, department,
etc?
○ Look for items that seem to be expendable or you would like the answer as to why we
spend money on those items. Low hanging fruit.
Deadlines and Future Meeting Dates
Tuesday, December 13 – Presentation by Learning, Operations and Business
Divisions
Google Form will be sent out by December 21, 2022
Google Form due by Monday, January 9, 2023
Tuesday, February 28
○ Present Costs and answer additional questions
○ Prioritize items and set goals
Tuesday, February 28 present final format
We will begin at 6:00 pm in the OIC conference room and a light dinner will be served. Please RSVP if you plan to attend or send your regrets by replying to this email. Attached you will find the presentation from November 28. I look forward to seeing you on December 13.