Board approves intra-budget transfers to close FY25 and hears FY26 budget update

Rob Watkins, supervisor of finance, asked the board to approve intra-category transfers to reconcile overspent lines from fiscal year 2025. The requested transfers were: $40,140.81 from category 3 (salary) to special education (category 6); $27,000 from student services (category 7) to health services (category 8); $72,500 from transportation and $530,000 from fixed charges to operations (category 10). Watkins said some transfers formalize actions taken previously (furlough days and mitigating steps) and that the district is preparing for the financial statement audit.

Watkins and other staff explained the movements were done to cover unanticipated costs, including a nonpublic placement in special education, and that the district will aim to make amendments throughout the year rather than waiting until the end of the fiscal cycle. The board approved the budget-transfer request by motion and voice vote and authorized staff to send a notification letter to the county commissioners about intra-category transfers.

During a later portion of the meeting Watkins updated the board that the final state aid file matched the district's budget book totals and that several local-share adjustments moved state aid lines into local maintenance-of-effort lines; specific local-share shifts cited included $1,117,666 in compensatory education, $302,852 in special education and $118,421 in multilingual-learner funding. Staff said they will provide standing monthly budget updates going forward.