Wood County board approves FY27 budget, requests $18.7 million in county funding

The Wood County School Board voted March 12 to approve the division’s FY27 budget and to request $18,737,718 in county operational appropriation. The request is about $3,148,249 above the required local match and represents an increase the division said is needed to maintain staffing and services.

Superintendent designee Dr. Poole presented the budget to the board, outlining several pressures the division expects to cover: a proposed $1,500 bonus for full‑time employees (part‑time employees would receive $750), an estimated $412,000 repayment of arbitrage funds tied to the Scott Memorial project, and a projected $1.3 million increase in health insurance costs. Dr. Poole said the division will attempt to pay the bonus from the current year’s funds where possible to reduce strain on FY27.

The presentation included compensation figures the division used for planning: a teacher step 0 figure listed at $48.03 (up from $47.06 in the previous step figure); a planned increase to the paraprofessional scale; and a bus‑driver pay adjustment mentioned in the presentation. The division also noted a VRS (retirement) rate reduction for professional employees to 13.2 percent, which it said will modestly reduce employer retirement costs.

Dr. Poole asked the board to approve budget principles and a request to the county. Following discussion, a motion to adopt the FY27 budget was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote. The board’s approval clears the division to present the budget to the Board of Supervisors; Dr. Poole said he will present the budget to supervisors the following week.

The presentation and discussion emphasized that final state allocations remain uncertain—FY27 projections were based on the governor’s introduced budget—so the division may adjust figures when official state numbers are published.

The board approved the budget by voice vote; no roll‑call tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.