Supporters of 4-H in Bryan County can breath a little easier, after the school board Thursday decided to keep the program in its tentative budget for the 2010 fiscal year.  

 Dozens of supporters of the program showed up at Thursday's meeting to voice their concerns the program wouldn't be funded. 

After listening to public comment and a marathon session spent discussing ways to trim costs, the Board of Education adopted a tentative budget that included $16,500 for 4-H. The program is jointly supported by the state and county as well. 

The BoE's tentative budget includes a number of cuts and a planned-for 1.5 mill tax increase which would help push overall revenues to $50.1 million, slightly more than estimated expenditures of $49.9 million.

The BoE still has to advertise the budget and schedule hearings on any millage rate increase, but there are concerns that state cuts will be deeper before the end of the year.  

Look for more of this story in Saturday's Bryan County News