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District 49 board approves amended 2024–25 budget after discussion on transparency and state format
Summary
The board adopted the 2024–25 amended budget after debate about presentation format and compliance with state statute; one director voted no and others asked for clearer, lay-friendly reporting aligned to Colorado statute 24-22-44-105.
The District 49 Board of Education approved an amended 2024–25 budget on Jan. 16 after several board members urged improvements to the budget’s presentation and alignment with statute.
Director Schmidt raised questions about the budget’s format during discussion, saying the board should present the budget “so that it follows state statute 24 22 44 1 0 5,” which she said outlines a summary-budget format understandable to laypeople. Schmidt asked for a board training on school finance and said the board should follow the statutory guidelines for budget contents and presentation.
Director Olivia Wright and others responded that the district has received transparency awards and that improvements could be made after a new chief financial officer is hired. Director Heil noted the district had won a transparency award and said the district should continue to make its reporting more accessible to the public.
Board action: The motion to approve the amended budget passed with four board members voting yes and one no (Director Schmidt). The transcript records the roll call as: Tovala (Aye); Heil (Aye); LaVere Wright (Aye); Schmidt (No); Thompson (Aye). The board moved forward with the amended budget while asking administration to pursue clearer presentation and training opportunities.
Why it matters: Board members said they support transparency and want budget documents to be easier for the public to read. Several directors suggested targeted board training and a reformat to match the state-recommended summary style.
Ending: The board approved the amended budget and asked staff to post relevant guidance and consider a district-specific training on school finance once a new CFO is on board.
