Washington County commissioners approve $4.8 million end-of-year surplus for public schools

The Washington County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the Washington County Board of Education’s fiscal year 2025 end-of-year general fund adjustments after a presentation from school system finance leaders.

Jeff Crew, chief operating officer for Washington County Public Schools, and Eric Sisler, executive director of finance, explained that state law requires local school systems to reforecast revenues and expenses and file adjustments that cross budget categories with the county. Crew said the document presented “reflects the final ending status of expenses, both, above budget and below budget related to the fiscal year 20 25 operations of the board of education and Washington County public schools.”

Crew and Sisler told the commissioners the school system closed FY25 with a surplus of about $4,800,000, approximately 1.4 percent of the general fund budget. Commissioners moved to approve the adjustments; the motion and second carried 5-0.

The board’s approval formalizes the end-of-year reconciliations the school board reviewed in a work session on Oct. 7 and approved at its Oct. 21 meeting. Commissioner Barr and others had no additional questions during the open session vote.