The school system is working with about $1 million less than last year and next year looks even more austere, reported Superintendent Scott Pierce.

He said in an interview after the meeting that the district was receiving some federal stimulus money to make up for some of the state education cutbacks, but that money won't be there next year.

The Russell County School Board took little time to plow through a short list of items Monday night including the setting of the tax rate.

The rate set this year for water craft and vehicles was the same as the previous year, 52.2 cents per $100 of assessed value.

The rate for personal property also remained static at 47.4 cents per $100 of value.

The real property rate went to 47 cents per, while the old rate was 46.2 cents per $100 of valuation.

Pierce said that was a .8 percent increase from the previous year's rate.

He said the district would be cutting back any place possible during the year to build cash reserves in order to deal with the expected dearth in outside funding for education in Russell County.

He said the property rate in the county continues to be below that of other comparable counties.

The board approved purchase of a new handicap-accessible school buss with federal money and the purchase of four others using a state-wide bond program for schools.

Pierce said that with payments on previously purchased busses ending the district's payments overall would go down even with the new busses.

The board also approved looking into a lease from Wiles Sign in Bowling Green on a sign for in front of the auditorium-natatorium complex.

Pierce said they were discussing an electronic message center sign which the district could sell advertising on as a possible revenue source.

Also approved were contracts for two new copiers for the alternative school and special education programs.