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Forest Lake board adopts 2025–26 budget and ratifies multiple labor contracts
Summary
The board approved the district’s 2025–26 budget, ratified labor agreements with nutrition services, paraprofessionals and mechanics, and accepted donations and retirements in a package of consent and action items.
Forest Lake — The Forest Lake Area School Board approved the district’s fiscal 2025–26 budget Thursday and ratified several labor contracts and routine business items, including donations and retirements.
2025–26 budget The board adopted the 2025–26 general fund budget after a presentation from Director of Finance. Administration reported an estimated $1.5 million increase in revenue (enrollment, special education and levy adjustments) and a roughly $2 million increase in expenditures driven by salary, benefits and facility maintenance. The board approved the budget on a roll-call vote.
Labor agreements and compensation The board ratified multiple agreements negotiated with district employee groups, including: - Nutrition services agreement (2024–26): increases included dependent-coverage adjustments, Juneteenth as a holiday for 12-month employees, a change to floating holiday rules and multi-year wage increases consistent with board parameters; the board approved the ratified contract. - Forest Lake Association of Educational Professionals (paraprofessionals; 2024–26): agreement included dependent-coverage increases, compensation adjustments and a provision to include paraprofessionals in select district professional-development sessions; the board approved the ratified contract. - Mechanics agreement (2024–26): the contract ratified stipend and certification payments plus wage increases consistent with other agreements; the board approved the ratified contract.
Other actions - Donations: The board accepted $17,174.18 in cash and goods from booster clubs, PTOs and community donors to support athletics, field trips and music programs. - Retirements: The board accepted a retirement notice for a transportation bus driver and thanked the employee for service. - Construction and facility planning: The board authorized the district’s long-term facilities-maintenance revenue plans individually and for the Intermediate District 916 cooperative; construction bond sale proceeds remain in the capital fund for planned projects.
Why it matters Adoption of the budget and ratification of contracts set the district’s staffing and compensation framework for the next school year and free administration to implement program-level staffing and capital projects. The contracts include multi-year wage increases aligned to board parameters and reflect negotiated changes in benefits and stipends for represented groups.
What’s next Administration will post the adopted budget and file required forms. Contracts will be implemented for the 2025–26 fiscal year; the district will continue to track state legislative activity and adjust forecasts as needed.
