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Blackhawk School Board adopts $44.7 million budget after debate on health-care and solicitor costs
Summary
The Blackhawk School Board approved a $44,736,311 final budget for 2025–26 in a roll-call vote after one board member opposed the plan over rising health-care costs and the district solicitor's fees; the district also highlighted a projected $1.07 million shortfall and options to narrow it.
The Blackhawk School Board on a recorded vote approved the district's 2025–26 final budget of $44,736,311 after a short but pointed discussion about health-care cost projections and solicitor fees.
Mister Shope moved to adopt the budget, citing the administration's presentation; the motion was seconded and carried in a roll call that yielded five yes votes, one no and two absences. The superintendent and finance staff had outlined revenues of roughly $43 million against expenditures of about $44.07 million, producing a projected deficit in the neighborhood of $1.07 million without additional action or new state subsidies.
Why it matters: the budget sets the district's spending priorities for the coming school year and frames decisions about millage and capital projects. Superintendent Doctor Panetta told the board the district relies on a mix of local (about 53%), state (about 38%) and federal (roughly 5%) funding and that the district has pursued grant awards and a planned capital projects fund to address facility needs.
Board debate focused on two main complaints raised by one member. The dissenting member said, “I'm not going to support the budget on because I don't believe the board is as serious as they can be with the budget,” and questioned both the size of the projected health-care increase and the cost of solicitor services. The dissenting member added that employee contributions rose only “one tenth of 1%” even as consortium rates increased. The board's superintendent responded: “The 19% isn't necessarily staff. That 19% is consortium rates,” adding that changes to deductibles and consortium negotiations, not a simple per-employee raise, affect the figure and that the district will continue to seek savings.
Administration told the board it expects to pursue state subsidy increases that could bring approximately $500,000 in additional revenue and that grant awards have offset roughly $2.2 million of district costs this year. The presentation also included an illustrative homeowner impact showing a median-household difference of about $10.13 under one indexing scenario and described homestead/farmstead property-tax relief distributions tied to an approximately $1.5 million allocation from state gaming revenues.
Votes at a glance - 8.1 — 2025–26 final budget, $44,736,311: Approved (roll call: 5 yes, 1 no, 2 absent). The roll-call list recorded 'Missus Klein' as yes, 'Mister Husiak' absent, 'Doctor Mccozzi' yes, 'Missus Mansell' no, 'Mister Schope' yes, 'Doctor Sprinker' yes, one board member recorded a yes for themselves, 'Mister Whistler' absent and 'Mister Zachiewicz' yes. - 8.2–8.13 — Finance consent items: Approved (voice vote). - 9.1–9.4 — Personnel consent items: Approved (voice vote). - 10.1–10.6 — Education consent items (calendar, MOUs, field trips and similar): Approved (voice vote). - Medic Rescue ambulance service agreement (2025–26): Approved (voice vote). - HF Land mechanical engineering services quote (heating/cooling load calculations): Approved (voice vote).
The board's next steps include continued review of health-insurance consortium options (administration said discussions will continue, including a meeting in July), monitoring potential state funding changes, and further work on capital-project prioritization. The board completed the vote and moved on to other consent items and routine business.
