Warren County school board approves $76.54 million FY26 operating budget and adopts salary-scale updates

The Warren County School Board on Tuesday approved the fiscal year 2025–26 school operating budget of $76,536,765 and a food‑service budget of $4,109,667, and adopted revisions to the division’s 2025–26 salary scale.

Mister Ballentine, addressing the board, said the county’s appropriation to the operating budget is $29,400,000, an increase of $750,000 from the current year. He listed major elements of the adopted budget, including a 3% salary increase for contracted full‑time employees, level funding for non‑labor items, conversion of a teaching/health position into a 12‑month nursing coordinator and a planned 10.1% increase in the employer contribution toward health care. "The school operating budget was approved in the amount of $76,536,765, and the fiscal year 25‑26 school food service budget was in the amount of $4,109,667," Ballentine said.

Ballentine told the board the division expects to provide a detailed categorical line‑item budget at the next meeting once the county’s numbers are finalized and that some debt‑service amounts left by the board of supervisors will be reallocated within the division’s categories. He reported a custodial contract negotiation reduced the custodial services line by $78,000.

During the meeting Miss Drake presented the updated salary scales and described specific changes the board approved for 2025–26: the nursing‑coordinator position will move to a 12‑month appointment and be assigned the appropriate grade; a $7,500 stipend was added for a social worker at grade 39; Grade 42 was adjusted to meet exemption thresholds; and instructional assistants will receive an educational supplement. On meeting stipends for recording duties, Drake said the board approved a new minimum rate of $100 per meeting, or $50 per hour otherwise. "So this would be a $100 minimum per meeting," Drake said.

Motions to adopt the operating and food‑service budgets and to adopt the salary scales were made and approved by voice vote; the public transcript records the motions and that the votes passed but does not include a roll‑call tally for those two items. Motions and seconds recorded in the transcript: the FY26 budgets were moved by speaker 6 and seconded by the chair; the salary scales were moved by speaker 8 and seconded by speaker 6.

The board also took up the second reading of a memorandum of understanding for school resource officers. Doctor Kostner noted Sheriff Klein had explained differences between the previous and current MOU at the prior meeting; the item will return for a third reading and final approval.

Votes at a glance

- FY26 operating and food‑service budgets: motion moved by speaker 6, seconded by Kristen Pence; outcome: approved by voice vote (tally not specified in public transcript). - 2025–26 salary scales: motion moved by speaker 8, seconded by speaker 6; outcome: approved by voice vote (tally not specified in public transcript).

What’s next

Board members were told a detailed categorical line‑item budget will be presented at a future meeting so the division can finalize transfers among categories. The MOU for school resource officers will return for a third reading before final approval.

(Reporting based on the public meeting transcript.)