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Ohio County Schools board adopts proposed 2025–26 budget, raises attendance incentive and forms audit committee
Summary
The Ohio County Schools Board unanimously approved the proposed 2025–26 budget, adopted a revised salary schedule that raises an employee attendance incentive from $1,350 to $2,000, and appointed an audit committee to oversee a new auditor RFP.
The Ohio County Schools Board voted to adopt the proposed 2025–26 budget and approved several accompanying personnel and oversight items at its regular meeting.
Mister Bennett presented the proposed budget, which he described on the record as approximately “$83,000,856 and $856,402,” and said it compared with this year’s $89,362,505 budget — a reduction he characterized as “about $5.5 million.” The board discussed salary-line increases included in the proposal and moved to accept the budget as presented; the Chair called the voice vote and announced the motion passed unanimously.
In related business the board considered changes to the 2025–26 salary schedule. Mister Bennett noted several adjustments, including a change to bus-driver trip pay and an increase to the district’s attendance incentive, which was described as rising from $1,350 to $2,000 and slated to begin with the new fiscal year in July. Mister Bennett estimated the attendance-incentive increase could raise district costs “about a half million,” depending on employee uptake. A motion to adopt the salary schedule as presented passed by voice vote.
The board also voted to create an audit committee to oversee the upcoming request-for-proposal process for independent auditors; the committee as discussed in the meeting was to include Mister Bennett, Dr. Miller and Mr. Garberts. Mister Bennett told the board the district’s prior three‑year contract with its independent auditor had expired with completion of FY24 audits and recommended returning to a competitive bidding process. The motion to establish the audit committee carried by voice vote.
What it means: The board adopted a lower overall spending plan for the next fiscal year and approved personnel-pay changes that increase an attendance incentive for employees. The audit-committee appointment starts a formal re-bid of independent audit services; board members asked for continued staff follow-up on budget implications and line-item details.
Next steps: Staff will implement the adopted salary schedule beginning with the new fiscal year in July and will issue the RFP and return results of the audit‑firm bids to the board; the board also directed staff to provide requested line-item costs and alternatives for several contracts discussed during the meeting.
