In a mere 45 minutes, the Howard County school board yesterday unanimously approved capital and operating budgets totaling $779 million for 2009 fiscal year, an increase of about 9 percent over the current year's spending plan for public schools.

The amount represents a $64.1 million increase over the current $714.9 million in combined operating and capital budgets.

The $661 million operating budget includes funding for 191 new employees; a new training coordinator to work with students with learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders; older schools to receive new chillers, heating units, carpet and paint; and schools to receive new furniture and equipment in media centers.

The budget will be sent to County Executive Ken Ulman, who will have until April 22 to make cuts. The County Council will have until May to give final approval. Council members can restore any funding that the executive removes - if they find a way to pay for it.

Board members and Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin defended the budget while acknowledging that a struggle to get full funding lies ahead.

"It's a realistic, totally not frivolous budget," board member Diane Mikulis said amid the voting. "I'm confident in defending this budget. It's not going to be easy, but we have asked for what we need."

Mikulis said board members were informed by elected officials at a legislative breakfast last week that state funding this year would be tight.

Cousin called the budget "prudent," saying it is the result of collaborative efforts between his staff and the school board.

"We all have the same goals," Cousin said after the meeting.

The operating budget represents a 7.8 percent increase over the $612.9 million for the current year. Of the proposed $48.1 million increase, $9.8 million would pay for the 191 new hires. The trainer coordinator for students with learning disabilities would cost $72,600. In addition, teachers would receive a 5 percent pay increase resulting from union negotiations.

The president of the Howard County Education Association praised the budget.

"We're very pleased to know that this was a priority to the school board," Ann DeLacy said. "In many school systems we are hearing a struggle between the school board and various unions in getting negotiated agreements funded."

Board member Larry Cohen thanked Cousin for making the union negotiations a priority and for "fulfilling obligations to the people that make it happen."

The board also approved a $118 million capital budget, which received preliminary approval in October. The spending plan includes $27 million to help fund a renovation project at Mount Hebron High School; $20 million for systemic renovations at three buildings; $13.75 million to expand and renovate the old Cedar Lane School; $12 million to construct a maintenance-warehouse facility; and $6.28 million to provide a seven-classroom addition and to add a cafetorium at Elkridge Elementary.

One item that is absent in the latest version of the budget is a request for $4.2 million for the second phase of a construction plan at Waverly Elementary. The money would have paid for four more rooms at the school, and an art, music, gym activity room. But Mikulis asked the board to defer the project, as school system officials said that enrollment projections for the Ellicott City school are lower than once thought.

"We don't need the seats," Mikulis said.

The board unanimously agreed, adding that the project likely will be funded in future years.

"This project is still needed," said board member Sandra H. French. "It's just not needed this year."

john-john.williams@baltsun.com