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Board approves small inter‑function transfers, defers funding decision for STEM expansion
Summary
The Stafford MSD board unanimously approved a budget amendment transferring three small amounts between functions to correct coding errors and cover program costs. Separately, administrators presented a $118,476 funding request for a STEM Academy expansion; trustees discussed funding sources and deferred the funding vote until January while staff searches for offsets or fund‑balance solutions.
The Stafford Municipal School District board unanimously approved a budget amendment Dec. 15 to reallocate small amounts between functions to cover existing obligations and correct coding oversights, and then debated—but did not yet fund—a requested $118,476 to support expansion of the district's STEM Academy for the 2026–27 school year.
During agenda item 5a, the board considered a housekeeping budget amendment to transfer $1,500 from function 199/41 to 199/13, $8,500 from 199/23 to 199/93, and $20,000 from 199/91 to 199/93. Trustee Hana Hossess moved the amendment and Secretary Sosa Motongo seconded; the board approved the motion by voice vote, "Motion carries 7 0." The transfers were described by staff as corrections and consolidations for programs (QUEST, high‑school curriculum and CTE) and a function‑coding fix so future budgets reflect the correct instructional function.
On agenda item 5b, administrators reviewed a previously approved STEM expansion and presented corrected total expenditures ($497,981) and a request to appropriate $118,004.76 in FY26 for the program. CFO Abkhazov proposed using the maintenance‑note series for short‑term timing reasons (about $97–98k from the maintenance note and roughly $22k from the general fund), arguing that the maintenance note would temporarily cover program development timing without long‑term impact because the district expects to recoup funds in September when receipts arrive.
Trustees raised multiple concerns about using maintenance‑note funds for operational or short‑term program costs, noting that the note was originally intended for capital and emergency maintenance and may have legal or accounting limits on allowable uses. Several trustees urged staff to first search for alternatives—reallocating existing operational savings, using available fund balance, pursuing grants (administration noted an application to the George Foundation is underway), or short‑term borrowing—before drawing from maintenance reserves. Vice President Jean Baptiste and others recommended scrubbing personnel and other operating accounts for possible offsets.
Administrators said recruitment and marketing for the expansion can continue using existing budgets through March, and that most immediate monetary needs for technology and furniture do not require payment until spring. Given those timing options and the trustees' preference to preserve the maintenance note, the board declined to take immediate funding action and asked administration to return in January with updated cash‑on‑hand figures and identified offsets.
No funding motion was passed for the STEM expansion at the Dec. 15 meeting; the board directed staff to present refined funding options at the January meeting.
