Fluvanna board approves revised FY25 carryover including $26,000 capacity study after divided vote

The Fluvanna County School Board voted 3–2 on Dec. 18 to approve a revised FY25–26 carryover request that totals $256,200 and includes a $26,000 enrollment/capacity study with on-site visits.

Board members and staff said the change followed completion of the FY25 year-end audit with the county, which produced a smaller available carryover balance that required the division to re-prioritize previously proposed items. The motion, introduced during discussion of a motion to reconsider the board's October carryover action, lists line items the board approved including a $100,000 replacement for high-school chassis network switches, a $9,500 backup Cisco/fiber switch, a $20,000 fiber switch that may serve middle-school/central needs, a $45,000 auditorium AV upgrade, a $15,000 Toro card for grounds, $10,000 for PSAT/SAT funding and $40,200 for attendance support (two half-year positions).

"I would like to make a motion that we approve a revised fiscal year 25, 26 carryover request that includes the following items," a trustee said while reading the proposed line items on the floor. The motion was seconded and, after discussion about priorities and whether some items could be deferred or reduced, carried 3–2.

Supporters argued the capacity study is time-sensitive because population projections show 500–700 new students over the next five to seven years and earlier results should inform space and facilities planning. Several trustees also emphasized the urgency of replacing critical network equipment, saying some switches were at end of life and a failure could interrupt school Internet access.

Opponents said the board still needed to identify roughly $181,000 in reductions from the earlier request and questioned whether some items — including proposed SRO (school resource officer) funding and the auditorium AV upgrade — should be postponed. One trustee said, "my vote is no," and the chair voted no; the motion nonetheless passed 3–2.

Officials said next steps include documenting the amended carryover request for the county and moving forward on procurement and site visits for the capacity study. The board also asked staff to provide follow-up budget information and to coordinate with the Board of Supervisors about potential timeline and funding implications.

What happened next: the board moved on to discuss preliminary FY27 budget information after the carryover vote. The board did not rescind the October action that was the subject of the motion to reconsider — rather, it approved the specific revised carryover package presented at the meeting.