District leaders flag cash-flow focus and potential cuts for 2025-26 budget

District finance staff and an Educational Service District representative presented a year-end fiscal update that emphasized cash-flow management and near-term budget pressure.

Drew Robb, who said he is working with the district through ESD 123, told trustees the year-end closing process is about 90% complete and that reconciliation work is ongoing to ensure federal, state and local revenues are correctly classified. "We're about 90% of the way done," Robb said, adding that a schedule-of-federal-awards report is due at month-end. He also warned the district will not meet an earlier budget target of $600,000 in carryover for the 25-26 budget but expects to remain solvent.

District leaders emphasized a cash-flow document intended to manage monthly payables, which Robb estimated at roughly $775,000 currently. Board members discussed reducing monthly payables to a target range (between roughly $650,000 and $700,000) and examining staffing and nonessential expenses for 2026-27. The superintendent said an October interest charge for using county funds was $554 and framed that spending-review process as an opportunity to find savings.

Robb also noted a pending federal SPED reimbursement that is delayed at the state level; if approved it could reimburse $100,000'$150,000 in expenses. The ESD representative and district staff agreed to circulate a fuller slide deck at the next meeting and to supply any requested breakdowns ahead of the December presentation.

No formal budget decisions were made at the meeting; trustees were briefed and asked staff to return with finalized year-end numbers and options for expense reductions.