Board approves Budget Amendment No. 3; members discuss fund-balance targets and metrics

The board approved Budget Amendment No. 3 for fiscal year 2024–25 at its March 3 meeting after a motion by board member Hill and a second by a colleague.

The district’s February 2025 financial report summarized year-to-date activity across board funds as of Feb. 28, 2025. A board member questioned whether the district monitors routine financial performance indicators beyond the presented expenditure report. District staff and a board committee member noted that the local current expense fund balance stood at approximately $2.4 million — roughly 2% of the annual budget — equivalent to about seven days of operating cash on hand as described by a board member. That board member said a more conservative target (30–60 days) would be healthier and suggested the budget committee consider performance metrics and contingency planning.

Board members agreed to arrange committee discussions before the March 13 budget meeting to examine contingency plans and possible financial metrics to track fund balance, reimbursement timing and other indicators. No changes to the budget were made beyond the approved amendment; the amendment passed on a voice vote without a roll-call tally recorded in the meeting minutes.

Board members also discussed the timing and format of the board’s budget committee meeting and agreed to hold pre-meetings to inform the formal March budget review.