Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Woodland Park district warns reserves shrinking; finance director outlines cuts, fees and staffing contingencies
Loading...
Summary
District finance officials said revenue has fallen and reserves could drop to roughly $3 million, prompting a partial spending freeze, new hires in finance and possible fee increases, wage freezes or service changes to balance the 2026–27 budget.
The Woodland Park School District RE‑2 finance director told the community that the district faces a sustained revenue decline and mounting budget pressure that will force hard choices for next school year.
The finance director said audited revenue for the most recent year was $25,777,000 and that reserves have fallen from a peak above $11 million in 2022 to an audited $6,670,000 for fiscal 2025. “We are under fiscal pressure, and this has been building for probably 4, 5, 6 years,” the finance director said, and staff projected reserves could fall toward roughly $3,000,000 by the end of the coming year without new revenue or further cuts.
Why it matters: the district receives a large share of its revenue in property tax collections and uses reserve balances to cover shortfalls. A continued draw on reserves would limit the district’s ability to sustain programs and its staffing model and would force administrators to decide which services to preserve.
The finance director outlined steps already taken and potential contingency actions. Among the immediate measures the district has taken: hiring a chief financial officer and a senior accountant, bringing the books current after an extended lapse, integrating the Skyward accounting system, and imposing a partial spending freeze for nonessential expenditures. The audit has been received by the state auditors’ office and officials expect county property tax distributions to resume in May.
Possible next steps under consideration include raising student activity and transportation fees, a wage freeze for the coming year, reductions via attrition and reduced hours for hourly staff, outsourcing fewer positions where feasible, recruiting volunteers for some extracurricular functions and rethinking transportation routes or services if funding falls short. The director said some changes would be ‘‘difficult’’ but necessary if revenues do not improve.
The presentation included a reminder about the limits of local control and state funding dynamics: the director said some midyear state funding changes are anticipated and that the district is planning contingency scenarios that account for a possible holdback from the Colorado Department of Education.
What comes next: district leadership said it will produce a draft balanced budget in roughly a month and present it to the board for public review. The district emphasized transparency and monthly reporting as it works through the budget cycle.
The finance briefing was part of a larger board meeting in which the district also presented a strategic plan and academic updates.
