VIENNA — The Maries R-1 Board of Education voted at its June meeting to leave meal prices the same after increasing them last year to fall in line with state guidelines.

For the 2024-25 school year, the prices for cafeteria meals remain $2.50 for breakfast, $2.85 for elementary school lunch, $2.95 for middle school lunch, $3.05 for high school lunch and $4.50 for staff lunch.

The board also reviewed bids for a new cafeteria boiler during the meeting. Integrated Facility Services, Inc. bid $133,675 for the project. Heating and Cooling, Inc. bid $144,435 for the project. Solomon Boiler Works bid $106,750 for the project.

Upon Superintendent Teresa Messersmith’s recommendation, the board approved the bid from Solomon Boiler Works. Messersmith said the replacement could happen in the early fall.

Later in the meeting, the board approved the 2024-25 budget after reviewing projected figures. The projected revenue for the year is $3,156,253 with projected expenditures totaling $2,293,316.69. That would leave the district with a projected ending general fund balance of $862,936.31.

Fund 20, which covers teacher salaries, has a projected revenue of $2,739,513 and projected expenditures of $3,384,292.28, which would leave the fund at a deficit. The district always uses the extra general fund money to make up the difference.

The debt services fund, Fund 30, has a projected revenue of $350,050 with projected expenditures totaling $297,625 and an ending balance of $52,425.

Fund 40 has a projected revenue of $16,000 and projected expenses of $11,500 for a projected ending balance of $4,500. Overall, the district projects an ending reserve balance of $118,157.03.

The district also has $158,000 remaining from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief money the United States Department of Education provided to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purchases the district has made or plans to make with the money include the i-Ready software and textbooks.

The district renewed its contract with Special Learning Center in Jefferson City for physical therapy services. The renewal comes with no rate change.

Another contract approval was for the software program used by the special education department. Spedtrack, the program the district previously used, was purchased and rebranded to Euna. Special Education Director Joe Edwards said the program keeps the department organized when handling special education forms. The renewal comes at a 2 percent cost increase.

During the meeting, Edwards said he had met with a mason group to participate in a program called Rite Care that helps students get the accommodations they need. He received a notice from the organization that the program had fully funded a hearing device for a Maries R-1 student. He said the district was very thankful for the contribution.

Edwards also said the administrators had reviewed all the school safety plans and evacuation routes and updated them.

The board voted to leave tuition rates the same at $5,500. Students who live outside the district boundaries but voluntarily attend the school pay the tuition rate. No student currently pays tuition.

At the June meeting, the board also discussed the July 2 deadline for projects funded by the Proposition K.I.D.S. that passed earlier this year. The board planned to accept bids at the July 23 meeting, which occurred after the deadline for this edition.