Superintendent says county-proposed increase falls short; board agrees to advocate and to post three staff positions

Superintendent Dr. Kibler and CFO Rob Watkins told the board on March 4 that the county administrator's proposed budget would add roughly $8.7 million over prior funding; combined with roughly $1.3 million in anticipated state funds, staff said the district could count on about $10.1 million of new revenue relative to the prior baseline.

Kibler described the funds as a starting point that would allow the district to maintain existing programs and restore some positions. She asked the board's blessing to post three positions immediately so the district can recruit and fill key roles: a guidance counselor at Churchill Elementary (vacant two years), a computer-lab instructional assistant at Bayside Elementary to standardize elementary lab support, and a Spanish teacher at Mattapeak Middle School to stop sharing a teacher between middle schools and restore a full 7–8 grade Spanish program. "If we can get those posted now, it would be very beneficial," Kibler said.

Board members expressed appreciation for the county administrator's proposed increase but said it did not fully restore cuts from prior years. Several members urged constituents to attend county budget hearings and to contact commissioners to press for additional support; one member noted concerns about maintenance-of-effort rules that could raise future year baselines if funding is added in certain ways. Watkins said the public budget hearings are in May and that the county will finalize allocations in June, after which the district will present an updated budget book.

The board did not vote on a formal funding request at the March 4 meeting, but members approved moving forward with posting the three requested positions and agreed to continue advocacy with county commissioners while staff proceed through the normal HR and budget processes.