Concord School Board posts FY26 budget for public comment; motion carries

The Concord School Board voted on March 5 to post the proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget for public comment, moving the district into the statutory notice period for public hearings on the budget.

District staff presented an overview of the proposed budget and the options considered before the board vote. Jack Dunn, presenting for administration, explained the goal: to post the full budget so the public can review proposed expenditures, including any proposed new positions, and to allow budget hearings to proceed on schedule. “If you move that, everything becomes a domino and we need to move it,” Dunn said earlier in the meeting when describing the posting requirement.

The motion that the board approved (language read into the record) posted a total of $121,056,870 for all funds with a general fund request of $111,574,860, appropriating $70,587,486 in local taxes and $7,130,812 in state aid. The motion included deposits to expendable funds and specified withdrawals from expendable trust funds to support appropriations. The motion also authorized the administration to adjust final wording to reflect board intent before hearings.

After the reading of the motion, a roll call vote was taken and the motion passed. Board members recorded affirmative votes; the clerk asked members to sign the motion paperwork prior to leaving.

Ending The posted budget will now be available for public comment as required under state law. The board requested additional follow‑up material on several line items — including the proposed SRO, athletic uniform plan, transportation proposals and grant‑funded positions — and scheduled further work sessions and public hearings as part of the adoption timeline.