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Superintendent and finance staff present preliminary budget and pay-raise options; maintenance priorities highlighted
Summary
District leadership presented a preliminary budget and options for certified and classified pay increases, flagged health-insurance cost growth, and asked the board for direction on prioritizing maintenance projects including Martin electrical work and CCHS fire-alarm upgrades. Staff proposed a teacher flat-dollar step and multiple percentage
District finance and central office staff presented a preliminary executive summary of the coming fiscal-year budget, several pay-raise scenarios for certified and classified staff, and a prioritized list of remaining maintenance projects for the year.
Miss Bray and other central-office staff walked the board through pay options that would close part of the state-required salary steps. One option would add a flat amount to certified teacher salary steps (example amount shown: $1,713 added to levels) as a midpoint step; staff also modeled multiple percentage increases for classified employees (2%, 3%, 4% scenarios). Finance staff said the smallest increase modeled (2% for classified) is affordable without drawing on fund balance, while larger options would require additional revenue or fund-balance use.
Nut graf: Staff emphasized the budget trade-offs: salary decisions account for the largest share of the district budget, insurance costs are rising and several large maintenance projects remain on the table; the board was asked for guidance on priorities before staff finalizes the proposed budget for public review.
Staff briefed the board on health-insurance spending trends and the potential for an additional tariff or software/hardware cost for devices (Apple tariffs mentioned) that could raise technology expenses. Finance staff said health-insurance costs exceeded $10 million in the prior 12-month accounting window and projected further increases.
On capital and maintenance, staff and facilities leaders recommended prioritizing electrical work at Martin (now estimated at $500,000 for phase one per a contractor), a CCHS fire-alarm replacement (estimate raised to roughly $725,000), and other roofing and track projects. Staff said pausing one or more planned maintenance items could free funds to cover higher-priority projects but that timing matters because construction bids are time-limited and many projects are summer work.
Ending: Staff requested board direction on salary strategy (flat-step vs. percentage approaches) and on prioritization of maintenance projects; staff said they will supply budget documents and a draft proposed budget for board review in mid-March and will place items requiring votes on the forthcoming regular meeting agenda.
