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Flossmoor SD 161 board approves budget amendment, $1 million transfer and monthly bills; tentative 2025–26 budget shows modest shortfall
Summary
The Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education approved a 2024–25 budget amendment, a $1 million transfer from the education fund to the transportation fund and the June bills, while administrators presented a tentative 2025–26 budget that projects a small operating deficit and outlines long‑range facility funding needs.
The Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education on June 9 approved the 2024–25 budget amendment, authorized a $1,000,000 transfer from the education fund to the transportation fund and approved the June bills as presented.
Board members opened public hearings on the budget amendment and the planned fund transfer before moving to votes. The board then approved the amended 2024–25 budget and the $1,000,000 transfer; roll-call votes were recorded and the motions passed.
The tentative 2025–26 budget presented to the board projects roughly $47.4 million in operating revenues and approximately $47.8 million in expenditures, leaving an initial projected operating deficit of about $400,000. District finance staff said the tentative plan is an early, conservative model built from five‑year projection software and will be refined line‑by‑line over the summer.
Finance director Fran (named in meeting) and staff told the board the model uses a 3.4% CPI for the 2024 property tax year and assumes about 3% annual growth in property tax revenue thereafter. The presentation noted the state evidence‑based funding model is fully funded for the coming year, but that the state did not fund the property tax relief grant program for 2025; the district is treating existing abatements as continuing in the current projection unless the board decides otherwise.
Administrators warned the district expects to move funds from operating balances into capital projects next year to complete construction work at Western Avenue, Flossmoor Hills and Parker Junior High. The presenter said the model shows an $8,000,000 planned drawdown in 2027 to shift operating funds into the capital projects fund for those facility projects; after that transfer, operating‑fund cash on hand would fall from about 301 days to roughly 193 days in the projection, still within the board’s fund‑balance policy according to staff.
Board members and staff discussed potential policy choices this fall, including whether to recapture any previously abated property tax relief grant revenues as those abatements expire. Finance staff said they will run models through the summer to show options and impacts for board review during fall budget discussions.
The board also approved the monthly bills as presented. The June bills were read into the record before the motion to approve; the motion passed by roll call.
Next steps: staff will refine the tentative budget through the summer, publish a budget book and put the budget on public display in August with plan to return to the board for approval in September.
