Pulaski County School Board approves FY2025-26 operating budget and awards USDA technology bid to eCare

The Pulaski County School Board approved the fiscal year 2025–26 final school operating budget and moved to award a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service (USDA RUS) technology grant procurement to eCare after finding a competing bid did not meet specifications.

Finance staff presented an analysis through May 31 saying, “As of the May, 8.33% of the budget year is remaining,” and that “once accumulated revenues and expenditures are taken into account, we will have approximately $3,400,000 or 18 and a half percent in county funds available for the remainder of the year,” a finance staff member told the board.

The board also reviewed the school-system portion of the county audit from Robinson Farmer Cox; a school-district staff member said the report showed “we received an unmodified opinion, which is the best opinion you can receive.” The staff member noted two management comments that apply to the schools: an oversight in appropriations related to the Governor’s School Fund when fiscal responsibility moved to Radford and a miscommunication about the county contribution amount that the school staff said has been corrected for the coming year.

On procurement, technology staff working with partner districts recommended rejecting the lower-priced bid from Clari Business Machines because some proposed equipment did not meet bid specifications. A board member moved to take the item from information to action. The board voted to rescind the original bid and then to accept the eCare bid for the USDA RUS grant equipment. Recorded votes on the award showed board members present voting in favor of accepting the eCare bid. The board’s action rescinded the Clari Business Machines bid and approved award to eCare so staff can order equipment before anticipated tariff changes.

Board members also discussed travel-per-diem rates for staff. A staff presenter reviewed current and proposed rates and the IRS rule that affects first-and-last-day reimbursements: “our current rates are 27 for the first and last day of travel and 36 for overnight. We would like to see it increase to 45 for the per diem rate, and then the first and last day of travel being 33,” the staff member said, adding the 33 figure reflects the IRS 75% rule on partial travel days. The board did not take final action on per diem at the meeting; staff said the proposal will be brought as an action item at the next meeting with a proposed effective date of Aug. 1.

Formal actions recorded during the meeting included a motion and second to approve the FY2025–26 final operating budget and separate motions to rescind the previous USDA procurement award and accept the eCare bid. Vote tallies recorded in the transcript show board members present voting to approve those items.

The finance presentation and procurement decisions were presented as part of regular information and action items; staff emphasized the need to meet procurement specifications and to align budgeted contributions and appropriations with county records.

The board did not set a separate timeline for implementation of the USDA equipment beyond staff requests to place orders before tariff changes; staff said they and technology directors from partner districts are coordinating orders once the board’s award was approved.

Looking ahead, staff said they will return with the travel-per diem proposal as an action item for the board to vote on before the new fiscal year.