School Committee approves $42,228 from excess fund balance for Franklin boiler repair and Park Avenue cafeteria tables

The Auburn School Committee on March 18 approved the district's request to use $42,228 from the FY24 excess fund balance to pay for an emergency boiler replacement at Franklin High School and to purchase cafeteria tables for Park Avenue Elementary.

Amanda Coocher, the district business manager, summarized the request and said the boiler at Franklin required what the memo described as an emergency replacement that was completed within days. She also noted the cafeteria tables for Park Avenue are a one‑time purchase and were removed from the operating budget during line‑item review, so staff proposed paying by using excess fund balance.

Committee members questioned whether the requested funds would keep the district within the recommended fund‑balance benchmark. Coocher explained the request is drawn from the FY24 audited excess fund balance (the FY25 audit is not yet complete), and that the district has previously allocated excess fund balance to capital items; she said about $2.35 million of excess fund balance is allocated in the upcoming FY27 budget. Committee members asked for assurance the district remained within the state’s 9% guidance for fund balance; staff said the FY25 audit will show some depletion from previously higher balances but confirmed available funds remain.

A motion to approve the use of funds was made and seconded; the Chair called for the vote and declared “motion carries.” The transcript does not include a roll‑call vote or individual tallies.

Why this matters: using one‑time excess funds for emergency capital needs avoids midyear operating budget interruptions but draws on a finite reserve the district is tracking as it closes FY25 audit and finalizes FY27 planning.

What’s next: Staff will proceed with the purchases and continue to report fund‑balance and budget status to the committee during subsequent meetings.