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Oklahoma County Excise Board approves three budget resolutions, warns school districts on filing deadlines
Summary
At a Sept. 29 special meeting the Oklahoma County Excise Board approved temporary appropriations and state/federal fund modifications for three entities and voted to send a letter to school superintendents reminding them of statutory budget-filing obligations and possible consequences for late submissions.
The Oklahoma County Excise Board on Sept. 29 unanimously approved resolutions to authorize temporary appropriations and to accept state or federal funds for three local entities and voted to send a letter reminding school superintendents of their budget-filing obligations.
Board members approved Resolution 2025-3732, a temporary appropriation for Western Gateway (E-026) for fiscal year 2025-26 that the board recorded as $3,244,642 for the general fund and $79,789 for the building fund. The board then approved Resolution 2025-3733, a modification to fiscal year 2024-25 for LaMonde International Charter Reach College Preparatory School District (ED-012) to accept $547,809.38 in state and/or federal funds for its general fund. Finally, the board approved Resolution 2025-3778, a request to accept $486,153.24 in state and/or federal funds for W.K. Jackson Leadership Academy (Public School District G-10) for fiscal year 2024-25; the board noted this item reflected an addition (described in the meeting as SRO additions) funded after the fact.
All motions recorded during the meeting passed with affirmative voice votes; the transcript records the board voice vote as “Aye” for each motion rather than a roll-call tally or named votes. The minutes of the board's Sept. 15 meeting were also approved.
Chairman Brett Townsend read a draft letter the board plans to send to school superintendents reminding them of statutory budget-filing timelines and the consequences of failing to submit budgets on time. In the letter, as read in the meeting, the board referenced state law (noted in the reading as “Title 20, Section 68 of the Oklahoma Statutes”) and stated that a district’s authority to spend funds ceases at fiscal year-end (June 30) until a proposed budget has been submitted and approved. The letter, as read by Townsend, also warned that expenditures made since July 1, 2025, without a submitted and approved budget "may result in such expenditures being declared void or avoidable." Townsend said the board sees no valid excuse for the districts’ failure to submit proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budgets prior to July 1, and asked that the letter be sent to all superintendents so no single district would be singled out.
Board members discussed that some items were late filings and noted the county finance department and office of the county clerk had requested the resolutions. One speaker noted that a budget modification for a 2024-25 item has until Sept. 30 to be filed; the board nevertheless characterized some submissions as late. The board asked staff to finalize the letter and agreed it would be emailed to superintendents after any agreed edits.
The meeting was brief; after approving the items and finalizing the letter wording the board adjourned.
