The fiscal year 2026 budget for the Richmond County School System was officially approved at a June 25 meeting, but not without a hint of concern from at least one board member relating to increased travel expenses.
A brief breakdown of travel and training expenses
This year, the district has allotted $6,270 per board member for Georgia School Board Association (GSBA) dues, travel to required in-state training conferences and participation in its annual Teacher of the Year and retirement banquets.
This money will come from the general fund budget ($378,387,483). The FY2026 budget also includes three other categories: the debt service fund ($36,384,950), capital projects (495,751,283) and other programs ($68,270,766).
This will be an increase of $1,470 per board member compared to last year.
‘I think it’s wrong’
For board member Venus Cain, this increase seems to cover excess of what’s required for board training and travel, and she doesn’t approve. Her stance is that in-school staff and workers on the ground should be the focus of budget increases, with the board receiving no more funding than the necessary amount for training and travel.
“They’ve got to work a whole hour just to buy a dozen of eggs. And they might be able to get some bacon out of it,” she said, referencing school lunchroom staff. “I think that’s wrong. We didn’t give our teachers or none of our staff any money, but for the board to have their travel increased, I think it’s wrong.”
Cain voted against the budget, which was approved in a 5-3 vote.
New board members, new numbers
Board Chair Shawnda Stovall responded to Cain’s comments, saying that the increase does not cover more than the necessary expenses, but rather gives consideration to the addition of four new board members this year and the cost of their training.
“We’re not doing anything additional…[the funding] was raised to cover the amount of training new board members,” said Stovall.
Stovall added that the district does not have approved out-of-state travel or any approved overnight travel with the exception of the board’s annual summer and winter conferences. All other travel, she said, is for classes for new board members that GSBA provides.
A district statement was later received by the Augusta Press to further clarify the purpose of the funding increase for board training and travel.
“The budget adjustment reflects our commitment to ensuring that all board members, especially our four newly elected members, are well-equipped to serve our schools effectively,” read this statement. “In addition to supporting required training and development opportunities, the increase also addresses previous budget shortfalls, including mandatory membership dues for the Georgia School Boards Association. We remain committed to transparency and fiscal responsibility, and this investment supports strong governance in service of our students and staff.”
