Finance director: revenues lag while expenditures rise; board approves budget amendment

At the April 27 meeting, the Onalaska School District finance presentation showed operating revenues lagging expenditures through March and a low-cash point of roughly $2,000,000 in funds 10 and 27 on a $53,000,000 budget. Janet, the district finance presenter, explained that lower state equalization aid and the exhaustion of ESSER funds increased reliance on local tax revenue and interfund transfers.

"When you look at this, our revenues have not caught up with our expenditures," Janet said during the quarterly review, citing timing of tax settlements and state aid. The presentation laid out the revenue composition (local taxes and state equalization aid as largest shares) and noted that salary and benefits make up about 73% of the budget, with direct instruction and student-facing services accounting for roughly 67.4% of expenditures.

Staff asked the board to approve a budget amendment that reflected a $20,000 increase from the common school fund allocation, a competitive cybersecurity grant and contracted cybersecurity services, use of federal grants in fund 27 to buy a van for the Anna PALS program, and favorable interest earnings in fund 39. The board approved the amendment and the administration said final budget adjustments will be presented in June and the final quarterly report in July.

Board members asked clarifying questions about revenue timing, the cybersecurity grant procurement, and the mechanics of interfund transfers; staff indicated they will post the amendment and supporting documents on the district website following approval.