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Agua Fria board approves FY25 budget revision and GMP 2 for Hilltop School for the Arts
Summary
The Agua Fria Union High School District board on May 7 approved Revision No. 1 to the FY25 expenditure budget — increasing maintenance and operations by about $2.2 million — and authorized Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) No. 2 for the Hilltop School for the Arts with McCarthy Building Companies.
The Agua Fria Union High School District Governing Board on May 7 approved Revision No. 1 to its fiscal year 2025 expenditure budget and authorized Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) No. 2 for the Hilltop School for the Arts.
District finance staff told the board the revision accounts for an increase in the state per-pupil support level and updated actual enrollment and weighted-student counts. A district presenter said the budget adjustment increases maintenance and operations funding by about $2,200,000 and reflects a per-pupil increase of $98.29 (about 2%). The board approved the budget revision by recorded vote: Silk, yes; Nader, yes; Colton, yes; Landis, yes; Acton, yes.
Why it matters: the revision shifts some dollars away from the district additional assistance category into maintenance and operations, the presenter said, because recent bond funding and capital resources allow the district to fund some facility needs from bond proceeds. The M&O increase is intended to help cover staffing and operating needs as the district prepares to open a new school and to build fund balance ahead of future openings.
Details from the district update: the presenter explained that the state budget adopted after the district proposed its FY25 budget required adjustments to base support levels. The revision reflects an increase of roughly 13 average daily membership (ADM) based on final counts after the 100th day and an additional roughly 42 ADM from weights for specific student populations, producing the approximately $2.2 million net increase in the maintenance and operation budget. District staff also noted the district’s tax-credit and donations webpages and the bids-and-contracts webpage were updated as part of broader transparency efforts.
On the Hilltop School for the Arts project, the board approved GMP No. 2 with McCarthy Building Companies to continue procurement of work while final design is completed; the presenter said GMP No. 1 covered long-lead items and that the administration expects to return with a final GMP in July. The presenter also said Litchfield’s approval of mass-grading plans, scheduled for Litchfield’s May 21 meeting, would enable visible site activity on or about May 22. The board approved the GMP by recorded vote: Silk, yes; Nader, yes; Colton, yes; Landis, yes; Acton, yes.
Board action and next steps: the board took both votes during the May 7 meeting. District staff said the next financing and contract steps for Hilltop will return to the board later this summer with a final GMP once remaining design items are complete.
Quotes: in explaining the budget changes, a district finance presenter said the revision “accounts for the current year amounts” and noted the per-pupil change, adding the update allows the district to “better position our maintenance and operation budget for some of these upcoming needs.”
Background: the board held a public hearing under Arizona Revised Statutes cited on the agenda before acting on the budget revision. The Hilltop School for the Arts project has been before the board in prior meetings for construction-manager-at-risk selection, pre-construction work and GMP 1 approvals.
Ending: The district’s presenters said they will return with final GMP figures in July and continue to post budget and procurement updates on the district website.
