With the fate of a potential seventh and eighth grade center looming with the next day’s bond election, Kingfisher’s board of education on Monday night was business as usual at its regular September meeting.

The board unanimously approved an estimate of needs for the 2019-20 school year during a 43-minute meeting.

The estimate of needs included just over $18.1 million in the general fund as it was prepared by Britton, Kuykendall & Miller CPAs and approved by the Kingfisher County Excise Board.

The estimate also included nearly $766,000 in the building fund, $562,000 in the co-op fund and $537,000 in the child nutrition program fund.

The estimate of needs takes into account the budgetary needs and income available within a school district.

This year’s amount in the general fund is up from the $15.2 million approved last year.

As of the end of last fiscal year – June 30 – the district had a cash fund balance of just a shade under $6 million.

It also had more than $200,000 in the building fund.

“We’re sitting really good with those funds,” Superintendent Jason Sternberger told board members.

In his monthly report to the board, Sternberger provided members with the annual accreditation report from the Oklahoma Department of Education.

The report included no deficiencies, Sternberger said.

In other action, the board:

• Approved a District Alternative Education Implementation Plan, which was the same as last year’s;

• Approved an agreement with the State Department of Education and Public Consulting Group for Medicaid billing services;

• Approved out-of-state trips for the boys basketball team to Wichita Falls, Texas; FFA to Indianapolis, Ind.; KHS Photography students to Taos, N.M., and vocal students to Kansas City, Mo.;

• Hired Barbara Baker as a part-time bus driver in the afternoons, and,

• Declared a number of items as surplus.