Ogden School Board adopts final FY25 budget and sets FY26 tax rate, approves tentative FY26 budget

The Ogden City School District Board on June 19 adopted the district's final legal budget for fiscal 2024'025 and approved a tentative fiscal 2025'026 budget while choosing the certified tax-rate option that keeps district-controlled levies at the state-certified level.

Board action matters because the budget choices will guide district spending, tax collections and short-term decisions on staffing, food services and capital projects. Board members also directed staff to continue work on a structural deficit in the general fund and a shortfall in the food services fund.

Business Administrator Zane Wollstonehune presented the district budget and noted the district faces a structural shortfall in its general fund. "We do have a structural deficit in our general fund," Wollstonehune said, laying out revenue and expenditure projections that show revenue of roughly $187 million across all funds for FY26 and budgeted expenditures near $206 million across funds in the year shown in the presentation. Wollstonehune told the board the district has budgeted a 0.5 percent cost-of-living adjustment, longevity and step changes and a 2 percent increase in the weighted-pupil-unit (WPU) funding at the state level.

Wollstonehune described the food-services fund as a significant near-term concern, saying food prices and wage increases have reduced the fund balance and that the district may need to address the shortfall if spending or revenue patterns do not change. He also outlined a possible capital project to build a new maintenance/shop facility at the district campus; he said architect estimates are being developed and that he had set aside money in the capital budget contingent on final estimates.

During the public-hearing portion on the final legal FY25 budget (no public comments were offered), the board voted to adopt the FY25 final legal budget as presented. Later the board considered two options for FY26 and chose the certified-rate option (option 1) for the tentative FY26 budget and certified tax rate. Board member John Peterson moved to adopt the tentative FY26 budget and the certified tax rate; Board member Bridal seconded the motion. The motion passed in a roll-call-style vote; board speakers who recorded "aye" during the roll call included Board member Bernal, Board member Nunley, Board member Anderson, Board member Sandell and Board President Wilson. (Recorded votes appear in the official minutes.)

Wollstonehune explained how property valuation and the certified rate interplay: as parcel values rise, the certified rate typically drops to hold revenue flat absent a board decision to levy above the certified rate, which would trigger a truth-in-taxation hearing. He said the average home value used in the presentation rose from about $421,000 last year to $432,000 this year, and that the certified-rate option would increase the typical homeowner's district tax bill by a small amount (roughly $2—$3 per month, as shown in the presentation) compared with a larger rate increase that would require truth in taxation.

Board members discussed whether to pursue a truth-in-taxation process to raise more local revenue to address the general-fund shortfall and the recent increase in amounts paid to charter schools because of updated charter enrollment counts. Several trustees said they preferred more study before committing to a tax increase and noted the board's fund-balance policy (3.111) that targets a 10—25 percent general-fund reserve. Wollstonehune noted the district's projected FY26 general-fund fund balance would be roughly $18.3 million under the adopted tentative budget and cautioned that some of the capital and debt-service funds are accounted for separately.

Formal actions recorded in the meeting: the board adopted the final legal FY25 budget as presented and adopted the tentative FY26 budget with the certified tax-rate option (option 1). The board set the truth-in-taxation hearing date in case it chooses later to levy above the certified rate.

District staff said further budget discussions and committee-level reviews would continue as staff refines projections and receives final audit and valuation numbers from county and state offices. Wollstonehune urged the board to weigh policy targets for fund balance against near-term investment choices and said staff will return with more detailed estimates on the proposed maintenance/shop project if the board chooses to pursue it.

The board recessed to other business after the vote.