East Grand Forks board approves revised FY25 budget, hears grants and calendar updates

The East Grand Forks Public School District Board of Education on March 10 approved a revised fiscal year 2025 budget and authorized payment of K–12 claims, while Superintendent Grover updated the board on recent food-service grant awards and work on an achievement-integration grant and the school calendar.

Superintendent Grover told the board the district “has been awarded a few grants worth $5,000 to purchase Minnesota grown and raised foods,” and said staff also secured a federal award of $10,204 for a new steamer. Grover said an additional award of “$7.15” was put toward a new warmer, as stated in the meeting record.

The revised FY25 budget was presented and approved after discussion. Grover summarized the figures and trade-offs for board members, saying the district is “348,000 in the hole” in the current presentation and that roughly $250,000 of that reflects two new scoreboards included in expenses. He said that if some scoreboard costs are excluded the shortfall would be smaller and that administrators have tightened spending line by line. The board approved the revised budget by voice vote.

During the budget discussion Grover noted staffing and enrollment factors that affect revenue and expenses, including an unfilled fourth-grade position that was reflected in the budget and updated student counts provided by district staff. He cautioned that enrollment (FTE) can change throughout the year and that losses of students would reduce funding.

On grants and programs, Grover said the district is exploring an achievement-integration grant aimed at racially isolated districts and described it as “a framework for districts to address inequalities and ensure all students have access to quality programs.” He said the district is investigating the AVID program as one possible use of funds and that there are start-up and ongoing costs to consider. Grover asked board members for feedback as staff continues to assess eligibility and program costs.

Grover also reported the district selected ICS to perform a facility assessment under a block grant process but said the federal block grant was put on hold; ICS and two other firms (Kraus Anderson and Inbuilt, formerly Apex) had been in the procurement process. He described the assessment as previously planned to be provided at no direct cost to the district but said the federal hold has delayed the work.

The board received updates from several committees. The calendar committee selected a two-week Christmas break as the preferred option; the calendar will return to the board for action. The policy review committee delivered a first round of policy updates to the administration for review. Grover said a health-and-safety meeting was postponed and rescheduled so he could attend.

The board also approved the consent agenda and voted to pay the K–12 claims numbered 128,857 through 128,957 totaling $177,211.06. The board set its next regular meeting for March 10, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. and recessed into a work session after a short break.

Votes at a glance - Motion to approve the meeting agenda: motion moved and seconded; voice vote, motion carries. - Motion to approve the consent agenda: motion moved and seconded; voice vote, motion carries. - Motion to approve the revised fiscal year 2025 budget as presented: motion moved and seconded; voice vote, motion carries. - Motion to approve payment of K–12 claims 128,857 through 128,957 in the amount of $177,211.06: motion moved and seconded; voice vote, motion carries.