Huntington board approves budget calendar, reserve plan and accepts FY2025 audit
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Summary
The Huntington Union Free School District board approved the 2026–27 budget calendar, adopted a 2025–26 reserve plan and accepted the external audit and management letter for fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Administration presented a long-range financial plan and said the district has healthy reserves and will use debt-service funds to make the final bond payment by June 2026.
The Huntington Union Free School District Board of Education on Nov. 17 approved the district's 2026–27 budget calendar, adopted an updated 2025–26 reserve plan and accepted the external audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
Administration said the district’s reserves remain strong and outlined next steps for multi-year financial planning. "What you will find here is that we do have healthy reserves," said Dr. Harris, the district's business presenter, during a presentation to the board.
The board unanimously approved the budget calendar for budget preparation and adoption in the 2026–27 cycle and then heard a detailed presentation on reserve balances, categories and recent activity. Dr. Harris described restricted reserves—including workers' compensation, unemployment, TRS and ERS retirement reserves—alongside appropriated and unappropriated fund balance and capital reserves. He told the board the district intends to use funds from its debt-service account toward the final bond payment, which he said will occur before June 30, 2026.
Board members asked for clarification about workers' compensation funding and timing of the last debt-service payment; Dr. Harris said the district keeps an initial insurance policy and a self-insured layer for smaller claims and that the final bond payment timing aligns with the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.
The board also accepted the external audit prepared by Conan Danoski LLC and the audit management letter with a corrective action plan. A board member summarized an auditor's comment praising the finance office for cooperation and responsiveness during the audit.
Dr. Harris closed with a preview of a long-range financial plan that will combine historical revenue and expenditure trends with a comparative analysis of neighboring districts and outside fiscal modeling. He said the plan is intended to promote predictability, transparency and fiscal stability and will be updated annually.
The board voted to accept the audit report and management letter and to adopt the reserve plan and budget calendar; each motion carried with unanimous voice votes. The district plans to present further modeling and next steps to the board in the coming months.