Board warned of $7 million revenue shortfall next year; projects paused and personnel actions possible

Board members and district staff told the Brooke County Schools board it expects a significant decline in local/state revenue that will affect projects and staffing next year.

A committee member asked how the district will handle an "anticipated, like, $7,000,000" decrease next year. A fellow board member and staff explained the district already faces a roughly $10,000,000 reduction in local share compared with the previous year, driven by the end of delayed tax payments from gas and oil and the expiration of ARC funds. "Next year, we're anticipating another $7,000,000 decrease," one committee member said.

Staff described partial levy backfill at roughly 75 cents on the dollar: of the $10,000,000 drop this year, the district expects roughly $2.5–3 million to be returned as backfill; next year that backfill could be on the order of $1.5–2 million. The superintendent said the district is halting non‑contracted capital projects and pausing projects not already under contract while preserving funds for committed work. "We have money in the bank," a board member said, adding that saved project funds (including Title IX considerations for softball/baseball parity) will be used to cover some commitments.

Officials said the district is taking short‑term cost‑saving steps, including not filling some positions through attrition and considering personnel actions; the superintendent said the district's enrollment is up by about 50 students since Oct. 1 but that specific staffing changes would be communicated to affected employees once decisions are finalized. The board emphasized the need for accurate financial reports to make informed choices moving forward.

The board concluded the discussion and set a future meeting date for continued policy and scheduling matters.