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North Pike board tables 2025-26 budget after $318,002 shortfall in state allocation
Summary
Board members delayed final approval of the 2025-26 budget after staff said the district's allocation from NDE was $318,002 less than the figure used in the draft; staff proposed personnel and equipment reductions to cover the gap and a motion was made to table the budget until after executive session.
The North Pike School District Board of Education on Thursday tabled approval of the 2025-26 budget after staff reported the district's allocation from NDE was $318,002 lower than the amount presented at the public hearing.
Board members deferred a vote after staff outlined proposed reductions and asked the board for direction. A motion to table the budget until after the meeting's executive session passed by voice vote.
The district's presenter said the difference resulted because the state's hold-harmless calculation used a 2024 base rather than the 2025 figure the district had budgeted. The presenter told the board the district had built other increases (including health insurance and retirement) into the draft budget and that the recent allocation meant the district must find approximately $318,000 in savings.
To cover the shortfall, staff recommended several changes: removing a vacant sixth-grade teacher unit that had been included as a contingency, not filling a high-school computer-assistant vacancy (identified as Pam Alexander's position), removing the planned purchase of a 14-passenger bus, and shifting $42,000 of technology equipment costs to Title funding. Staff also said roughly $40,000 was budgeted to contract outside technical support during the year, and noted the district planned to keep $90,000 set aside for a previously directed purchase.
Board members and staff discussed the trade-offs between hiring a second technology staff position and continuing to outsource technical work. Staff said outsourcing would need the $40,000 allocation to remain in place if the district did not add a second in-house position. School maintenance staff were also identified as assisting with some technical tasks, and at least one board member expressed concern about overburdening the maintenance employee.
During the discussion, a board member asked whether the district would have the same funding opportunities next year; staff replied each year's allocations differ and the board must approve a balanced budget for 2025-26 tonight or provide direction for changes.
The board voted to table the budget until after executive session, allowing staff to provide more detail and receive direction before final approval.
The board also discussed but did not change the district's decision to retain the $90,000 purchase funding in the draft budget pending further board direction.
The budget discussion began when staff announced receipt of the NDE allocation and concluded with the board's motion to table the item for further consideration.
