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Board approves up-to-$300,000 fund-balance authorization as budget plan advances
Summary
Trustees approved a plan allowing staff to use up to $300,000 of fund balance if needed while pursuing staff attrition and other cuts in the 2025-26 budget.
MERRILL, Wis. ' The Merrill Area School District Board on Feb. 19 approved a budget-development motion authorizing use of up to $300,000 from fund balance if necessary to cover potential deficits in the 2025-26 draft budget.
Ron Liberty moved the motion; Jacqueline Renmar seconded. Board discussion at the Finance and Human Resources committee and at the meeting referenced a combination of staff reductions, building- and department-level spending reductions, and a proposed salary adjustment tied to CPI that may be scaled depending on final revenue figures.
Superintendent Shannon Murray described the action as part of "due diligence" in planning. Trustees discussed strategies to minimize layoffs through attrition and retirements, and noted the draft still contains several planned reductions, including an estimated 3 to 4 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions tied to enrollment and program needs. Murray said health insurance and state budget outcomes could change required draws on reserves.
The motion authorizes a contingency transfer of up to $300,000 from district reserves to address potential shortfalls; the authorization does not itself implement layoffs or specific reductions. The board approved the motion on a voice vote.
District staff will return to the board with further budget development and any required actions as revenue projections and state budget decisions become clearer.
