Calhoun County board approves budget amendment, 2025–26 calendar, personnel and property-sale options

The Calhoun County Board of Education on an evening vote approved a budget amendment, adopted the 2025–26 school calendar, authorized alternative sales methods for the previously listed Duke School property and approved multiple personnel and procurement items.

The board heard a report from the district’s chief financial officer before taking the budget amendment to a vote. The CFO said the general fund’s ending balance at Dec. 31 was $44,800,000, equal to about a 5.43-month reserve, and recommended a budget amendment to recognize carryover federal dollars and other new program revenues and related expenditures. “General fund’s ending balance at December 31, right, at $44,800,000, for the third period of the year, which you're calling for a 5.43, months reserve,” the Chief Financial Officer said during the presentation. Board members asked clarifying questions about year-to-date comparisons and real property receipts.

Why it matters: the amendment formally adjusts the district’s books to reflect realized revenues and carryover spending the CFO identified; the board’s approval authorizes staff to record and spend those amounts as presented. The board was told the amendment will have limited effect on reserves because the recognized revenues come in with corresponding expenditures.

In addition to the budget amendment, the board approved a slate of routine but consequential actions: the consent agenda (including minutes and declared surplus technology), adoption of the K–12 science textbook list as provided by the state, the award of a food-service equipment bid, and multiple personnel actions including resignations, transfers, employments, supplemental-list changes and contracted positions.

Discussion and key votes

- Budget amendment: After the CFO’s presentation and brief questions, Superintendent Willis Ward recommended approval. The board moved, seconded and approved the amendment by voice vote (motion carries). The superintendent framed the amendment as recognizing ending fund balances and carryover federal dollars that will be matched with expenditures.

- Duke School property: The board previously had approved auctioning the Duke School property but voted to expand the approved disposition methods. Superintendent Willis Ward recommended the revision to allow auction or other sale methods; the motion passed by voice vote (motion carries). The superintendent said staff had identified selling options beyond auction and the board formalized that direction.

- 2025–26 school calendar: The board approved the calendar the calendar committee recommended and that received the most employee votes. The superintendent recommended adoption; the motion carried by voice vote.

- K–12 science textbook adoption: The board approved the state-provided list of science textbooks without narrowing it to a single title; the superintendent recommended approval and the motion passed by voice vote.

- Procurement: The board awarded the Wellborn High School cooler/freezer bid to Singer H and R Company as recommended; the motion passed by voice vote.

- Personnel and contracts: The board approved personnel tabs covering resignations, retirements, transfers, new hires, contract positions (including a bus monitor and a math interventionist), and changes to the supplemental-pay list. Several individual hires were announced during the meeting, including Blake Jennings, hired as football coach and physical-education teacher at Ohatchee High School, and Clint Smith, named head football coach at White Plains.

What the board did not do: No ordinance, statute, or contract with a named outside funding source was adopted that required publication or additional legislative steps during the meeting; items described as “carryover federal dollars” were presented as existing funds that required internal budget adjustments only.

Quotations and participant remarks

Superintendent Willis Ward introduced most action items and offered the superintendent’s recommendation for each vote. “You have heard the superintendent's recommendation. Can I have a motion?” he asked several times before the board took voice votes.

Tommy Goodwin, representing the Sleep in Heavenly Peace program, gave figures about local deliveries during a recognition segment preceding business: “Since 02/2019, we have delivered right around 1,636 beds just in Calhoun County and about 5,080 across the 6 counties that we serve,” Goodwin said.

Blake Jennings, newly approved as Ohatchee High School football coach and P.E. teacher, thanked the board after the vote. Clint Smith, the new White Plains head coach, also addressed the board after approval.

Votes at a glance (items approved by voice vote unless otherwise noted)

- Agenda approval — approved. - Consent agenda (minutes, surplus technology, etc.) — approved. - Budget amendment (tab 1) — approved; recognizes ending fund balances and carryover federal funds and related expenditures. - Authorization to auction or sell Duke School property (tab 2) — approved; expands disposition options beyond auction only. - 2025–26 school-year calendar (tab 3) — approved; calendar recommended by the calendar committee. - K–12 science textbook adoption list (tab 4) — approved (state-provided list; district did not limit to a single title). - Bid award: Wellborn High School cooler/freezer to Singer H and R Company (tab 5) — approved. - Personnel tab 6 (resignations, retirements, transfers) — approved. - Personnel tab 6a (transfers to fill positions) — approved. - Personnel tab 6b (employment) — approved. - Personnel tab 6c — approved. - Personnel tab 6d — approved. - Personnel tab 6e (contracts: bus monitor, PM route for Saks High School, and math interventionist for Pleasant Valley) — approved. - Personnel tab 6f (supplement-list addition) — approved. - Adjournment — approved.

Clarifying details and figures noted during the meeting

- General fund ending balance at Dec. 31: $44,800,000 (reported by the Chief Financial Officer). - Reserve equivalent reported: approximately 5.43 months (as of the December reporting period). - Pajama Day fundraising figures (recognition portion): $7,275 in 2024 and $7,483 in the most recent year, with a six-year total of $153,000 for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace program referenced during recognitions. - Local Sleep in Heavenly Peace deliveries: about 1,636 beds delivered in Calhoun County since Feb. 2019; about 5,080 across six counties served, according to Tommy Goodwin.

Meeting context and next steps

The meeting featured a standard sequence of recognitions followed by business. Most items were routine approvals based on superintendent recommendations and committee work; the board used voice votes for passage. The budget amendment authorizes staff to record and spend the revenues and carryover federal funds described; any material changes to large capital projects, new contracts requiring outside approvals, or additional legal steps were not reported during this meeting.

The board adjourned after completing the listed business.