The Conway School District board on Nov. 11 approved multiple finance and personnel-related items: adoption of a proposed 2027–28 budget/sample ballot for required publication, acceptance of October financial statements and a staff-bonus proposal that the administration said would distribute $2,008,000 to employees before the Christmas holiday.

Municipal adviser Scott Bursley explained state notice requirements for the March 2026 millage question and the practice of approving a proposed budget for the 2027–28 fiscal year so the district can publish a sample ballot. He said the total proposed levy would remain at 38.1 mills. The board moved to adopt the proposed budget/sample ballot and approved it by voice vote.

Dr. Ashley introduced municipal and financial presentations and Sean Higginbotham summarized October financials, citing a timing-driven increase in cash balances due to early county tax payments, roughly $1 million in insurance partial payment for loss of fixed assets, and an unusually positive federal fund balance (federal funds commonly run negative pending reimbursements). Higginbotham said those larger tax receipts were likely timing issues rather than recurring increases.

On compensation, a staff-bonus proposal was presented that mirrors the prior year's structure and allocates pay by years of experience. The presenter said "the amount to be distributed to employees is 2,008,000," and separately said the "total cost is 2.4," language that was ambiguous in the transcript; the board approved the distribution by voice vote. The presenter said matching retirement costs were included and that funds were appropriated in the earlier budget.

Separately, the board approved a DESE-directed amendment to the district's bell-to-bell phone policy to allow students to remove phones briefly to complete two-factor authentication for concurrent-credit coursework. General counsel Shasta Wagner said the language was taken verbatim from DESE and required an immediate approval to meet a Dec. 5 submission deadline.

What this means: The vote keeps the district’s current levy rate on the next sample ballot, accepts October financial reports with timing-driven increases flagged as nonrecurring, commits $2,008,000 (per the presenter) for year-end staff bonuses, and updates student-phone policy to comply with DESE concurrent-credit authentication rules.