District 49’s finance team on Oct. 9 presented preliminary, unaudited fourth-quarter financials for the 2024–25 fiscal year and flagged budget pressures that administrators said will require further planning.

Finance staff said the draft results are unaudited and subject to adjustment but showed the following key points: total general-fund revenue was lower year-over-year after transfers; salaries and benefits increased by about $15.1 million year-over-year; non‑salary operating expenses rose by roughly $5 million, largely because of a Colorado Department of Education contact/audit payment of about $3 million; and the combined result produced a roughly $6.8 million shortfall in the general fund for the fiscal year.

Chief Financial Officer (presentation) said the district budgeted salaries at roughly 97% of full staffing for 2024–25 and that the district has already increased that planning percentage for the current year; she said earlier pay changes enacted for staff will increase recurring personnel costs in the current year. Board members asked detailed questions about specific variances, year-to-year comparisons and the appropriateness of reserve use.

Board and administration discussed transfers the district made to other funds (transportation, insurance, preschool and other funds) and whether to include fund balances in future summary reporting. Several board members asked for clearer fund-balance presentation and a line item showing fund balances for each fund in future reports.

Superintendent Peter Hiltz told the board that the presentational gap is the result of a combination: recurring and non‑recurring increased expenses, cost-of-services increases such as utilities and fuel, and the reduction or absence of a special state funding instrument that had previously supported the district’s budget. He said the administration will bring proposals to close the gap and that the January amended budget presentation and the district’s annual planning summit will be focal points for detailed budget work.

Board members and administration emphasized the district will not deficit-spend beyond approved authority and that the board will see amended budgets during the audit and appropriation cycle.