[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6544682,"mediaKeyId","3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8","parentId",3534972,"title","Votes at a glance: finance committee actions forwarded to full board May 27","audioSeconds",357,"startMs",2411340,"endMs",2768700,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8&start=2411&end=2768","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8/thumbnail_2411340.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6544682/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-finance-committee-actions-forwarded-to-full-board-May-27","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544682-ceaa036592bbc56a7a794293c1558710/orig.mp4?Expires=1775949371&Signature=PZRLC9xSbLBL7flydnWtrim3v7GbrYl8WmdEq-NQcU3ZcLEnNggwDnh90QA6G5zM295-xtKAFp4~rjc--1mU~P2kHsh2VYm-7rYZURpKjhZHsXtqNAIYWBeCKQZroS3OYxMLrxvP-4XZn2RVrRlRX4va3qBxrJNzxjnKp1Wn8SxQ-PSgEHTATfuBFIWO8VkQF0tUt95fGh8HaKR6cAFh81gxkPguujZmgBPXDEjzr5jbduy3scyFwfbdGgj740I40Rk-yhRv0Feey0Xrolfec6SGAfGn1wo9Z33oVcZW0Wn4w80zHT3sZw-P3hZTKzEXTIVetbcVPQ7dvUFTHQ1p-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Grand Rapids Public Schools","date","2025-05-27T00:00:00Z","article","The finance committee took several procedural and substantive votes May 27 to forward items to the full Grand Rapids Board of Education.

Votes and outcomes

- Purchasing agenda: Motion to forward the purchasing agenda (contract renewals and purchases) to the full board — outcome: passed (committee voice vote). Mover/second: not specified in committee record. Notes: Several trustees objected pending additional budget context but the motion carried to send the package to the full board.

- Blanket purchase orders: Motion to forward blanket purchase orders (including a staffing vendor used to cover special‑education aide vacancies) to the full board — outcome: passed (committee voice vote; at least one member recorded opposition). Mover/second: motion and second recorded on the record; names not specified in minutes.

- Budget Amendment 2 (general fund): Motion to forward Budget Amendment 2 for the general fund to the full board — outcome: passed (committee voice vote). Notes: Staff summarized revenue increases of roughly $4.3 million and expenditure adjustments; committee voted to forward for adoption by the full board.

- Budget Amendment 2 (special revenue fund): Motion to forward special‑revenue fund amendment to the full board — outcome: passed (committee voice vote).

- Budget Amendment 2 (debt retirement fund): Motion to forward debt‑retirement fund amendment to the full board — outcome: passed (committee voice vote).

- Donations: Motions to accept and forward the following donations to the full board — outcomes: passed (committee voice votes):
• Donation from Carnegie (Museum High School program) — passed.
• Wavy Foundation donation to City High/Center program (listed as grant/donation for programs) — passed.
• Experience Grand Rapids donation of furniture for Ottawa Hills High School — passed.
• Gene Haas Foundation donation to support robotics teams (listed in the packet) — passed.

Notes and next steps

All forwarded items will appear on the full‑board agenda for final approval; finance staff said they will provide additional budget context where requested by trustees ahead of the full‑board vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","GRPS Finance Committee Meeting May 27, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The finance committee forwarded the purchasing agenda, blanket purchase orders, Budget Amendment 2 (general fund, special revenue and debt retirement) and several donations to the full board for final action.","taxTitle","Grand Rapids Public Schools, School Boards, Michigan","taxId",13449,"location","Michigan","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6544687,"Finance committee advances Budget Amendment 2 after updated revenue and expenditure adjustments",803,3030940,3834290,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8&start=3030&end=3834","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8/thumbnail_3030940.jpg","/articles/6544687/Michigan/Finance-committee-advances-Budget-Amendment-2-after-updated-revenue-and-expenditure-adjustments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544687-958b41dfc2d6751d6a778e0267eb5f8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775949371&Signature=bI9l8T9vsCPghoRowSFDWfCsuyKruEX8THdMgzzkHRPX85a~5DH5P4WaBmKhQwH2rJ2yFAdMoEjRcCx5mrwBLCQG8ntnosfgEZ2qsk6f8etKRPnJl7qfhJEZuL7b9eOqtrC8zWPdk1Dwc6VRzUrPwYyqGM8ADpioeAZD8bo8LksfymPslOxm7RDIHfeWks9HsS7Ffv7uyHxvUwQ22JLslI0cFlaRc2EdM9bMeVP7CYZWrvMTK7jm~7zAO9k~vbZSHhPFOa7uZNxd0e6o8xRdB6MH9hxZFmLygHjeIoq0lPsajBw60rYQCmn68~pEwNhMXhWDOHmKvibiF~FoBel1fw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The finance committee voted to send Budget Amendment 2 to the full board after staff presented updated revenue and expenditure projections that narrowed the district’s projected use of fund balance for fiscal 2024‑25.

Miss Cribbs summarized the general‑fund changes and said total revenues in the amendment are projected to increase by about $4.3 million to roughly $264 million. She said the amendment reduces the district’s planned use of fund balance from amounts shown in earlier drafts and calls out several specific adjustments, including refunds, revised state aid estimates and changes to projected grant spending.

Cribbs told the committee that an unexpected refund from a prior reserve at the Standard Insurance company of about $465,000 and an Interlocal (ISD) refund related to itinerant special‑education services contributed to the improved revenue picture. She said estimates of center program tuition refunds totaled roughly $190,000 and that updated quarterly state aid information prompted adjustments to categorical revenue lines.

On the expenditure side, Cribbs said the committee would see both increases and decreases across salary, benefits and contracted services: the district is increasing the line for 147 categorical payments to employees and for projected electric costs while reducing projected substitute and contracted special‑education staffing expenses because the district needed less outside coverage than first budgeted. Cribbs said staff also tightened health‑insurance increase assumptions pending state action on related legislation.

The committee approved forwarding the general‑fund amendment and related fund amendments (special revenue and debt retirement) to the full board for final consideration.

Ending: Staff said they will incorporate the Amendment 2 adjustments into the May financial statements and present the amendments for formal adoption by the full board before the June 30 statutory deadline for budget adoption.","Committee approved forwarding Budget Amendment 2 to the full board after staff presented updated projections showing a roughly $4.3 million revenue increase and adjustments to expenditures and fund‑balance usage.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6544691,"Finance committee debates moving purchasing agenda to full board amid budget questions",1999,436520,2435780,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8&start=436&end=2435","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8/thumbnail_436520.jpg","/articles/6544691/Michigan/Finance-committee-debates-moving-purchasing-agenda-to-full-board-amid-budget-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544691-49df6bcf73c5b118a82599342387ffd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775949371&Signature=A3HYkVKeXBIOr3IvPKCJaTYsPVNFp4zAr~Vbc69jauck-aZi9LcejwHdjO~EnWizlTWrZNdx2u5hICOYMU7KpcLO7c3y9ZGBgZtzCkum9oi7vyBncI2VSpEy2YYLZnYeFSzTZ0-eDo9LjOgbQxOpXQvvPM10fSyNQwnEci-nI2xQN0-jih45CMrvbWcXDOKgozV~M13LSV37RkZxoUqy2aoNMNIhXhdIVInNZATfbtVO9Zc-ryOdH0N9LdbiREU9b5UE6Q-TEea88d2aF2hvMChuO22dvvo57h4FDnu8qRUGJiSSD8qsaNJ6~Wk6wxGuEy2TG83gUmh4HTdvKYlanw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Committee members spent the bulk of the May 27 finance meeting discussing whether the purchasing agenda — a package of software renewals, curriculum licenses and blanket purchase-orders — should be forwarded to the full Grand Rapids Board of Education before trustees had seen top-line 2025‑26 budget projections.

Miss Cribbs, who presented the purchasing agenda, said the first six items are contract renewals with July 1 renewal dates and that staff brings them forward now so payments can be processed on time. “As we're ending our fiscal year 24‑25, we are starting to look forward to our 25‑26,” Cribbs said while outlining the renewals.

Several trustees said they wanted a 30,000‑foot view of the draft 2025‑26 budget so they could understand how the proposed contracts and renewals fit into district priorities and trade-offs. One trustee said they needed to “see how it fits into the larger whole” before feeling comfortable moving forward.

Staff and other trustees responded that many of the items are baseline operating contracts — the kinds of recurring expenses that must be renewed to keep services online — and that the district can and has expedited time-sensitive items straight to the full board when necessary. Committee members were told that the purchasing agenda can be routed directly to the full board if a particular item is time-sensitive.

After discussion, a motion to send the purchasing agenda to the full board carried; members who objected said they expected to receive additional context about how line items map to the draft 2025‑26 budget in the coming days and that they planned to meet with the superintendent to review top-line projections.

Trustees also questioned a blanket order for a staffing firm used to cover special education aide vacancies; staff said the outside vendor has been used while the district hires permanent aides and that the request renews the single vendor relationship for the coming year.

Ending: The committee voted to forward the purchasing agenda and blanket purchase orders to the full board for final consideration; trustees who requested more budget context said they would seek that information in meetings with district leadership ahead of the full-board vote.","Committee members pressed staff for top-line 2025‑26 budget context before approving renewals and blanket orders. Staff and others said many items are baseline renewals and can be expedited to the full board when time-sensitive; the committee voted to send the purchasing agenda to the full board.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6544696,"Parents ask Grand Rapids Public Schools to accept Meijer gift for Ottawa Hills scoreboards",393,42630,436380,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8&start=42&end=436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3534972-f9abab0bf31e3ed4b8a3b75a83b81ed8/thumbnail_42630.jpg","/articles/6544696/Michigan/Parents-ask-Grand-Rapids-Public-Schools-to-accept-Meijer-gift-for-Ottawa-Hills-scoreboards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6544696-5ace39a78aede7f8dbd06c9abb02aa0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1775949371&Signature=AKsGCetRyW4MQnZ3H7UwPodOx6HtGA9d6vD3nOVK3PogVUA6gxkHum0HXxWka1em6lBWISFhvLBvlOXO-v4xs2UQqoppEtKB2CGgu9UWD9XxUmnlMZBVLA9OpvxxcxBB~iwRbjjj-rr~Y2bIL2XLsilsFIBQ-BKcyu0MNsz--kApk9bCnedmkyVio2iCyN9pRi1N954C4euCKVnLIr91cYDgk1SIzwZLUCeIbkGR81GdhW-bUISKplMVvyP3DECf0CYSn-9fzOFEJoDGxmyS9cyouo2kY5nUOsXComsROqKaqznj7Or9bb~GuJIykBUWSDMhzEGt3PX-Riz8hj9ydQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Laura Workman, an employee of Grand Rapids Public Schools and a parent, told the finance committee May 27 that Ottawa Hills boosters have secured multiple donations for new outdoor scoreboards and asked the district to accept the funds quickly so the work can be completed before fall sports.

Workman said the boosters have “some big donations that are just literally waiting to be recognized and accepted by, you guys.” She asked the committee to add the item to an upcoming board agenda if possible.

Missy Jackson, a parent and volunteer who said she is project-managing the effort, told the committee she and other volunteers raised installation funding after donors agreed to give the scoreboards themselves. “We have a significant donation from Consumers Credit Union that has come in for $30,000. And we have a donation from Old National Bank for a thousand dollars,” Jackson said, adding that suppliers and some installers have offered discounts or donated labor to lower the installation cost.

Nate Willink, who also spoke during public comment, told the committee the Meijer Foundation has pledged $30,000 that would be a gift directly to GRPS and asked the district to recognize the gift during this finance cycle so a purchase order can be issued and installation completed for the fall season. “If we get onboard the Meijer 30Ks, that is a gift that is straight to GRPS,” Willink said.

District staff on the dais described an established internal process for accepting donations that typically requires certain documentation and routing through district finance and facilities staff before the board acts. Committee members and staff said the district can expedite items when time is of the essence and that facilities staff have been involved in advising the boosters.

The public commenters said Marcus Harris and Dr. Mabin at Ottawa Hills support the project; the boosters said they have paperwork ready to provide to finance staff. The committee did not vote on the donation during the meeting; speakers said staff can bring the formal acceptance to the full board for approval on short notice if the documentation is complete.

The boosters asked the district to prioritize recognition of the Meijer gift and related funds so scoreboards for baseball, softball and soccer fields can be ordered and installed before the next athletic season.

Ending: Committee members advised the boosters to turn over grant and donation paperwork to district finance and facilities staff; staff and boosters said they would continue working to have the item placed on the next available full-board agenda for formal acceptance.","Parents and boosters told the finance committee they have donor commitments — including a $30,000 Meijer Foundation gift and $30,000 from community partners for installation — and asked the district to expedite recognition so scoreboards can be purchased and installed before fall sports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: finance committee actions forwarded to full board May 27

Finance committee advances Budget Amendment 2 after updated revenue and expenditure adjustments

Finance committee debates moving purchasing agenda to full board amid budget questions

Parents ask Grand Rapids Public Schools to accept Meijer gift for Ottawa Hills scoreboards