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Board approves warrants, second-interim budget certification and superintendent contract extension
Summary
The board approved warrants and procurement items, accepted a positive certification for the district's second interim budget projecting a modest fund-balance increase, and approved a superintendent contract extension with a 3% raise to $224,536 beginning July 2026; public commenters raised concerns about legal costs and transparency.
The Carpentaria Unified Board approved multiple business items on March 10, including warrants, several vendor contracts, the district's second interim budget certification, and a superintendent contract extension.
The board voted to approve warrants for February 6 through March 5 totaling $1,411,234.74 and approved several vendors for routine maintenance and facilities work (parking-lot repair and infield material purchases). It also approved grant-supported purchases connected to the food-service program and a Culinary Institute of America training trip for food-service staff.
Jason (district staff) presented the second interim budget, which covers fiscal activity through Jan. 31. He reported a positive certification, meaning the district projects it can meet its financial obligations for the current and two subsequent years. Jason said projected total general-fund revenues are about $43.7 million, expenses about $47.3 million, and transfers-in of $4.2 million drive a projected net increase to the general-fund balance of about $552,000, leaving an estimated unrestricted ending balance of roughly $3.5 million (about a 7.56% reserve).
Jason noted expenditure adjustments since the first interim: an increase in services and operations (largely legal fees) of about $213,000 and a salary increase of about $69,000, offset by decreases in materials and capital. Board members asked for a clearer presentation of the cost of a 1% compensation increase (Jason said roughly $200,000) and additional detail on health-insurance assumptions.
Public commenters, particularly union representatives, criticized recent legal spending on special-education cases and urged greater transparency in administrative salary disclosures. The union said recent warrants and a pending tentative court ruling require public oversight.
On personnel, the board first rescinded a Jan. 13 closed-session action and then approved a superintendent contract extension: a three-year extension through July 1, 2029, with a 3% raise effective July 1, 2026, and an annual salary beginning at $224,536; benefits mirror those provided to certificated personnel. The action drew public scrutiny and requests for the full contract to be made available; later public comments reiterated concerns about Brown Act compliance and asked the district to post the contract documentation.
Why it matters: The second interim certification is a formal, public measure of fiscal health required by state law. Approving vendor contracts and training expenditures commits district funds and grant balances; the superintendent's extension with a 3% raise is a significant personnel decision that prompted calls for transparency from union representatives and community members.
The board approved the second interim report and the superintendent contract extension during the meeting.
