The Jefferson County Board of Education voted to allocate $391,373 from the district's fund balance to construct an agricultural building on the Jefferson County High School campus.

Board members approved the transfer after several residents and agricultural advocates urged the board to back an on-campus facility intended to support FFA and agricultural instruction. Brian Morgan, identified in public comment as Jefferson County Farm Bureau president, told the board the county's recent survey showed preservation of agriculture as a top local priority and urged the board to "vote yes for this now." Jason Bales, who said he is a fifth-generation Jefferson County farmer and the parent of an FFA student, called an Ag Center "the next step" for hands-on learning that connects students with where food and fiber come from.

The motion to allocate $391,373 from the 1.41 fund balance was made on the record and seconded; the board took a voice/hand-raise vote and approved the allocation. The funding fulfills part of a larger project budget, which the board discussed in the meeting materials as totaling approximately $643,908.10 with the motion addressing the specified $391,373 portion from fund balance. Staff said remaining budget items would be addressed through subsequent budget amendments and existing unencumbered project funds.

Board members and staff described features included in the project scope as a complete cattle working facility, additional animal panels and gates, automatic watering, large animal scales, and an enclosed facility for sheep and goats. One school official noted a supplemental $25,000 would be used toward an identified $29,500 set of livestock handling equipment and said a retiring donor may contribute the difference.

During debate a board member said he had delayed the vote previously to check for potential state grant funding; he reported that legislative offices had no available grant funding, and then supported proceeding with the local allocation. No opposing votes were recorded in the meeting transcript.

The board directed staff to process necessary budget amendments to reassign unencumbered funds and to update expenditure lines to reflect the project once the allocation moved forward. The board did not set a separate implementation deadline during the meeting.

The vote concludes the board's immediate funding decision; project procurement and any required contracting, permits or further budget adjustments will follow in staff-level steps and subsequent meeting agenda items.