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Board approves $116.3M 2026–27 budget and three propositions for the May ballot
Summary
The board approved resolutions placing the 2026–27 $116,300,000 budget (Proposition 1), a $5.26M reserve-transfer modification for the SOAR capital project (Proposition 2), and a $977,646 bus purchase authorization (Proposition 3) on the district’s May 19 ballot; all motions carried by voice vote.
The Frontier Central Board of Education approved resolutions to submit three propositions to voters at the district’s annual meeting and vote, scheduled for May 19, 2026.
Proposition 1: budget—The board resolved to present a proposed 2026–27 expenditure budget not to exceed $116,300,000 for voter approval. Presenters described this figure as the maximum allowable general fund expenditure the district may spend during the fiscal year if approved by voters.
Proposition 2: SOAR capital project modification—The board approved placing on the ballot a proposition to modify the district’s 2021 capital improvements project, authorizing an adjusted maximum estimated cost of $75,372,914 and the utilization of an additional $5,256,364 of fund balance from the district’s 2023 capital improvements reserve fund. Staff explained the change is intended to allow the district to transfer existing reserve funds into the project to complete final phases without asking taxpayers for additional money; presenters said doing so enables the district to capture building aid (staff cited roughly 62% as a representative building-aid rate) rather than spending reserves without aid.
Proposition 3: bus purchase—The board approved a proposition to purchase school buses and related equipment at an estimated maximum cost of $977,646, including replacement of three wheelchair-accessible buses and upgrades such as extended stop arms and routing/GPS tablets. Transportation aid and other eligible funding sources are expected to offset a substantial portion of the cost.
Each proposition was read into the record, moved, seconded and carried by voice vote. No roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript; the minutes show voice votes with the chair calling for "Aye" and noting motions carried. Staff outlined next steps: legal notices and publications for the budget vote will run in the coming weeks and the board will adopt the final budget at its April meeting before the public vote in May.
The board also discussed related budget assumptions during the presentation: the district is projecting modest foundation-aid growth (the presenter used a conservative 1% projection in this presentation while noting the governor’s final budget could change that figure), property tax levy planning, local revenue assumptions and a program fund balance projected to roll over roughly $750,000.
