The EPIC Charter Schools board approved financial statements for the period ending May 31, 2025, and moved to address a longstanding payroll-tax issue with the Internal Revenue Service, voting to authorize a purchase order to pay the balance and to have school counsel consult a tax attorney.

The board approved the May financial statements after a presentation by Michael Florey, who said the system ended May with a fund balance he described as improving after cost reductions. “We ended May with a fund balance of 16,800,000.0,” Michael Florey said during the finance update. The board then approved a motion to accept those statements.

The meeting shifted to a separate but related item: payroll taxes owed to the IRS that date to 2020. Michael Florey told the board the total originally approached nine hundred thousand dollars, that some penalties and fees had been abated, and that roughly $450,000 remained. Florey said about $25,000 of that remaining amount is interest and the remainder is what he characterized as the unpaid portion of taxes and related charges.

Because staff members had difficulty reaching the IRS by phone, the board voted to authorize a purchase order to remit the outstanding amount and separately instructed the general counsel to consult a tax attorney to pursue any remaining abatement. Brandon Webb, who led the governance discussion and recommended counsel involvement, told the board the goal is to determine whether additional relief is available before paying the balance.

Board members asked for clarity on the breakdown of the liability. Florey responded that contact with IRS staff has been difficult and that a tax attorney could help resolve whether the remaining amount is largely taxes owed or penalties and interest. The board approved both the purchase order and the motion to allow general counsel to consult outside tax counsel.

The board also reported ongoing budget controls and revenue trends: Florey said the organization was operating with revenue-to-date and expenses figures that showed improvement from earlier projections, and he noted a projected increase in enrollment that could improve funding in the coming months.

An executive session later in the meeting addressed a charter-board review of EPIC’s financials and internal processes; the board stated only members and two staff (Justin Hunt and Brandon Webb) attended and that no votes were taken there. The board concluded by returning to open session and adjourning.

Details of formal actions and votes are recorded below.