Garrett County school board adopts FY26 operating budget, approves staffing and property actions

The Garrett County Board of Education on June 10 adopted its preliminary fiscal 2026 operating budget and approved several administrative actions, including a special education staffing plan, declaration of 102 North Eighth Street as surplus property, the 2025 educational facilities master plan and the 2025–26 student handbook. The board also announced the appointment of Ashley Glodfelty as director of finance.

The board voted to adopt the FY26 proposed operating budget after a presentation from interim finance staff noting that state revenue figures remained preliminary. Superintendent Dr. Brennan McCartney and newly named finance director Ashley Glodfelty said the district will adopt the budget with the understanding that final state revenue figures could require later adjustments.

The board approved the special education staffing plan for the 2025–26 school year, a staffing projection based on May 26 student counts and planned service hours. The superintendent said staffing ratios are a guide and that individual student service hours and split (part-time) positions affect ratio calculations; staff said they will reassign duties where needed and not add central-office positions being vacated by retirement.

The board declared the warehouse at 102 North Eighth Street surplus and approved returning the property to county commissioners. Trustees were told the district must notify the state superintendent and the Interagency Commission (IAC) on School Construction and follow state guidance before disposing of the property.

The board adopted the 2025 educational facilities master plan after staff confirmed Garrett County enrollment projections are within 5% of state projections, per documentation from the Maryland Department of Planning. Changes from the previous year were highlighted in red in the plan.

After discussion the board approved the 2025–26 student handbook. The board initially considered the handbook and a motion briefly lacked a second before the item was later seconded and carried.

The board announced, by consent action earlier in the meeting, the appointment of Ashley Glodfelty as the district’s director of finance. The superintendent praised Glodfelty’s work and said the board expresses full confidence in her ability to manage district finances.

Votes and next steps: board members approved each item by voice vote; specific recorded tallies were not provided in the public session. Staff said they will update the board with final state revenue figures when available and will return with budget adjustments if required.

Context: Board members and staff emphasized that the FY26 budget is being approved on preliminary numbers because the state has not delivered final revenue figures. Staff outlined reallocations tied to decreases in restricted revenues, including an approximately $200,000 reduction in Title I preliminary funding and smaller adjustments to special education pass-through grants. Central-office staffing will be reduced by one position through reassignment after a planned retirement, and schools will see transfers and targeted hires to meet student needs without increasing the permanent full-time head count where possible.

Minutes of motions and outcomes (summary): the superintendent recommended approval of each item; motions were moved and seconded on the floor and adopted by voice vote. Where the board indicated further procedural steps (for example, surplus property), staff listed required notifications to state agencies.