Board adopts 2025–26 budget, approves Bonney Lake High expansion plan and union pact; writes off small uncollectibles

The Sumner Bonney Lake School District board of directors approved several administrative and budget items at its Aug. 20 meeting, including the district’s 2025–26 budget, education specifications for the Bonney Lake High School expansion, and a two-year collective-bargaining agreement for child nutrition services and transportation staff.

The board voted on multiple items after presentations and limited discussion:

- Adoption of 2025–26 budget (Resolution No. 21/24-25): The district’s chief financial officer presented the same four-year budget plan reviewed at a prior public hearing and explained a projected multi-year gap between expenditures and revenues that will reduce the fund balance if unaddressed. The presentation included a projected beginning fund balance of roughly $35 million, projected revenues of about $207 million, and projected expenditures and transfers of about $217 million for the coming year. The board adopted resolution 21/24-25 to approve the 2025–26 budget and four-year plan.

- Write-off of uncollectible accounts (Resolution No. 22/24-25): The board adopted resolution 22/24-25 to write off customer account balances totaling $9,817.99.

- Bonney Lake High School education specifications (Resolution No. 23/24-25): After a schematic-design briefing from BCRA Inc., the board approved the educational specifications for a roughly 44,000-square-foot addition and about 10,000 square feet of renovation at Bonney Lake High School. The plan includes a new two-story welcome center, classroom wings, relocation of JROTC into permanent space and a dedicated suite for district-supported learning (DLC), site circulation improvements and turf/lighting upgrades for athletic fields. The designer said the project remains on schedule for a 2026 bid and 2028 estimated completion and that a first cost estimate in schematic design was under budget.

- Collective-bargaining agreement: The board adopted a two-year agreement between the district and IUE covering Child Nutrition Services and Transportation for the period Sept. 1, 2025 through Aug. 31, 2027. Board members thanked both sides for negotiations and the motion passed by voice vote.

- Policy adoptions and first readings: The board adopted two policies per its adoption procedures (Policy 2020 on course design, selection and adoption of instructional materials; and Policy 2021 on library, information and technology programs). The board also received a first reading of Policy 4218 (language access) and informational curriculum reports required by WAC 180-16-195 and state reporting.

How board members framed the votes Trustees publicly thanked staff for the detailed budget work and the designer’s outreach for the high-school project. The budget presentation emphasized the need to make strategic spending adjustments to protect long-term fiscal health; the CFO said the district would need to make program and spending changes in coming years if revenue and expenditure trends continued. Board members expressed appreciation for transparency and staff responsiveness.

Vote tallies and procedure Votes were taken by voice; the meeting record shows motions, seconds and the board chair calling for ayes and nays. The board recorded unanimous voice approval for each of the motions as called; the transcript does not provide individual roll-call vote tallies.

What’s next - The district will file the approved budget with the state, and staff said they will continue work on the high-school schematic design and anticipate bidding in 2026. The district’s next regular board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2025.