Northport Public School will have a part-time music teacher for the 2007-08 school year: Jeremy Evans.

Superintendent Tyrus Wessell said Evans will work every other day at Northport with all grade levels. It’s been several years since Northport has had a music teacher, and Wessell said “we are fortunate” to have someone with Evans’ “ability and experience.” Evans will also continue his job as manager of the public arts center at Leland Public School.

The announcement of Evans’ hiring came at the meeting last Thursday, June 14, when the Northport Board of Education approved 6-1, with member Alan Woods opposed, the district’s 2007-08 three-fund budget. The budget calls for $3,438,349 in total revenues and expenditures for the new school year which starts July 1, 2007.

Woods said he opposed the budget because he would like to see a smaller fund balance, whose projected total for June 30 is $881,811. Woods attempted earlier this spring to have the board include a full-time music teacher position for the school, but received little support from other board members at the time.

Northport is also searching for a new Spanish teacher with the departure of Miluska Milroy, who is leaving the district to teach at Hamilton High School. Wessell said Northport may share a full-time spanish teacher with St. Mary School.

“We think we can work something out,” Wessell said.

Elementary school teacher Carla Thomas will become the half-time school librarian and will also teach part-time middle school English, opening up a full-time teaching position in the elementary school. Wessell said the district is seeking applications and should have the position filled by the start of next month.

The general fund budget forecasts $3,253,674 in revenues, up 2 percent from $3,181,968. The district’s largest source of revenue, the 13.39-mill non-homestead property tax, is expected to generate $2,834,712, up 9.2 percent from $2,595,478.

Northport is an “out-of-formula” school district, meaning the property value within the district has exceeded how much the district would receive through state aid.

Northport is expecting $133,681 from state funds, down 33 percent from $200,520 in 2006-07.

The district expects to receive more from federal funding, however. The $124,653 earmarked for 2007-08 is up 14 percent from $109,280 in 2006-07.

General fund expenditures will increase 2.25 percent overall from $3,181,968 to $3,253,674. Elementary school spending decreases slightly from $521,391 for 2006-07, down 4 percent to $500,804. However, secondary school spending jumps 30 percent overall from $644,952 to $836,817. Most of the increase comes from a 36 percent jump in the teacher salary line of the budget, from $367,996 to $499,349. Most of the increase is the new part-time music teacher position and a technology position the district is considering sharing with other school districts in the county.

Special education costs are budgeted to increase 16.5 percent to $250,892, up from $215,402. Most of the increase comes from a 16 percent jump in teacher salaries, from $96,420 to $111,670. The school counselor position salary is set at $42,791, up 3.9 percent from $41,200, with an overall departmental increase in spending of $75,864, up 3.4 percent from $73,380.

Wessell’s salary will increase 1.5 percent to $103,023. An annuity he receives as part of his contract with the district will jump 3 percent to $6,500. Business manager Karen Hammersley’s salary increases 2.5 percent to $54,547.

The athletic fund increases 10.7 percent for 2007-08 in both spending and funds received, from $71,100 to $78,725. Hammersley said most of the increase in revenue and expenditures comes from moving the athletic fund’s transportation costs out of the general fund and into the athletic fund. The school lunch fund revenues and expenditures decrease 3.7 percent, from $110,000 to $105,950.

Hammersley said the district has reduced the school’s cafeteria staff from three full-time positions to one full-time and two part-time positions.