Board accepts January financial report; staff highlight new report format and solar savings figures

The board accepted the budget and financial report for the period ending January 2026 after a brief presentation and discussion.

Staff introduced a redesigned financial report that allows direct comparison of the same reporting period in previous years. "Now we can look at where we were at the same point last year," said Member (Speaker 3), adding the format will become more powerful as additional years of data accumulate. Members clarified the percent‑of‑budget figures in the report refer to the current period (2026) and confirmed the year‑to‑year comparison is apples‑to‑apples: "January 2025 compared to January 2026," Member (Speaker 3) said.

Officials discussed timing effects that make some accounts appear high early in the year, including an insurance premium that posts early and quarterly accounts such as workers' compensation and unemployment. Member (Speaker 3) said principal wastewater payments are currently posted as zero and that a billing expected next month should increase the line by "probably 30,000." Member (Speaker 4) added that the first quarter premium for certain benefits was just paid.

The meeting included discussion of the district’s solar savings for 2024. Staff referenced the figure while explaining that rising electricity rates increase the value of solar generation: "Chuck Kelly finished the solar savings for 2024, which was, 86,000," said Member (Speaker 3), and later in the same discussion participants also referred to the figure as "74". The differing numbers were raised in the meeting and were not reconciled on the record; the transcript records both amounts.

A motion to accept the financials was moved by Member (Speaker 2) and seconded by Member (Speaker 4). The chair called for final questions and the motion passed (the transcript records the approval but does not include a formal roll‑call tally).