St. Helens budget committee delays vote as staff and community press alternatives to 12 furlough days

The St. Helens School District Budget Committee declined to approve the proposed 2025-26 budget and the related tax levy at its meeting and instead scheduled a follow-up meeting for June 3 to continue review and public comment.

Committee members heard multiple public comments urging restoration of furlough days and proposing cost-saving alternatives to staff and program cuts. Amelie Rousseau, who said she will be the next SHEA president, urged the committee to remove the district's planned 12 furlough days and offered eight cost-saving ideas, including limiting outside consultants, auditing contracts and subscriptions, centralizing purchasing, expanding after-hours community rentals, and restructuring fall conferences to reduce operating costs. Rousseau asked the committee "please do not rubber stamp this budget. Please consider this proposal."

Superintendent Dr. Gray and district Chief Financial Officer Kelly Woodward briefed the committee on revenue and expenditure assumptions, state rules that affect timber-related revenue, and several clarifications requested in advance. Woodward said the district…