The Demopolis Board of Education approved its 2014-15 budget during Monday night’s monthly meeting.

The system will start the fiscal year with $3,696,331 and has projected revenue of $18,544,818. Superintendent Al Griffin said they always err on the side of caution when it comes to expenditures, and this year, he and CFO Evelyn James projected $20,407,318 in expenditures.

If the projections hold true, the system will have $1,833,831 at the end of the fiscal year next September.

“We had another reduction in enrollment which cost us some units,” Griffin said. “I don’t expect our expenditures to be that high, but we’re erring on the side of caution.”

Griffin added that there were no major changes to the budget from last year. In the budget, James projected $12,089,321 in revenue from state sources, $1,774,401 from federal sources and $4,169,200 from local sources. The areas with the largest expenditures are instructional at $11,501,541, instructional support at $2,895,703, and auxiliary services at $1,677,507.

The board also approved the capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2015. Griffin said there will be a big project at Westside Elementary lowering ceilings, lights and exit signs that will take place in the next year.

In other business, the board approved changes to two of the system’s policies. The first was an amendment to the attendance incentive program. Griffin added support personnel to the program in addition to teachers. Administrators and supervisors are not included in the program.

The other policy change was in reference to Alabama Legislative Act 2014-241, which adds to the visitors section of the school policy. The addition states that no adult sex offender convicted of a sex offense involving a minor can enter onto the property of a Demopolis school while school is in session or attend any Demopolis school activity unless the offender does all of the following:

•Notifies the principal of the school before entering onto the property or attending an activity

•Immediately report to the principal of the school upon entering the property or arriving at the school activity

•Complies with any procedures established by the school to monitor the whereabouts of the offender during his or her presence on school property or at a school activity

In other business, the board approved overnight travel for the U.S. Jones fifth-grade enrichment students to Dauphin Island on Oct. 27-29.

The following personnel recommendations made by Griffin were also approved:

•Maternity leave for Kendra Elmore from Jan. 5, 2015, to March 30, 2015

•Employ Stephanie Foster as U.S. Jones special education teacher

“We’re glad to have found a special education teacher this time of year,” Griffin said. “Mr. [Leon] Clark and Mrs. [Kim] Logan did a great job finding someone.”

The next regular board meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 20 at 5:15 p.m.