The Crook County School District Board of Directors held its annual budget hearing and then adopted the district's 2025'26 budget and related tax and appropriation resolutions during its regular meeting.

Board members discussed the finance report and a projected beginning fund balance for 2025'26 before moving to formal votes. Superintendent Joel Hough noted the state'level change that reduced the projected PERS (Public Employees Retirement System) rate increase by about 1.68 percentage points and said that change reduced the district's planned draw from reserves.

Nut graf: The board completed three linked fiscal actions (budget adoption, appropriations and imposition of taxes) and also approved several policy and administrative-rule updates the same evening. The actions followed public notice and a posted finance report; board members said the budget balance was achieved without eliminating staff positions.

Most immediate facts: the board's finance director presented a general-fund projection and an estimated ending fund balance of $2,288,565, which the district used as next year's beginning fund balance. Board members explained a planned transfer mechanism to manage any excess above that target. The superintendent and finance staff described the overall financial picture as stable given prior years'one-time irregularities and noted the PERS change reduced next-year pressure on reserves.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded at the meeting):
- Adopt 2025'26 budget (Resolution O-7-24-25): motion moved and seconded; roll call unanimous (Kelsey: yes; Scott: yes; Steve: yes; Eric: yes; Jennifer: yes). Outcome: approved.
- Make appropriations for 2025'26 (Resolution O-8-24-25): same motion package as above; outcome: approved (roll-call unanimous).
- Impose property taxes to fund general operations and debt service (Resolution O-9-24-25): included in the package and approved (roll-call unanimous).
- Adopt consent agenda (includes routine items and accepted resignations): approved by roll call; board noted the resignation of Jay Weeds (director of human resources) as part of the consent vote.
- Adopt policy/administrative-rule changes (summary below): the board adopted several policies and ARs on first or final reading as recorded (see Actions section and provenance). These included changes to committee policy (BCE/BCF combination), meal scheduling administrative rule (EFAA-AR), the district public-complaint procedure (KLAR), compulsory-attendance language (JEA) and related administrative rules on attendance (JEA-AR), and curriculum policy (IIA and IIA-AR). Where required, board members moved and seconded individual policy items and voted by roll call; most recorded votes were unanimous.

Board members emphasized that the budget adjustments were made without cutting services to students and credited staff and leadership for work on labor contracts and on a difficult PERS-driven gap. The board also noted the public hearing earlier in the evening provided the formal public comment opportunity required by law and that the budget will now be published as adopted.

Ending: The board scheduled its next regular meeting for July and noted a separate strategic planning/retreat session later in July.