Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pocatello School Board adopts 2024–25 budget, cites state modernization funds for Highland rebuild
Summary
The Pocatello School District 25 board adopted the proposed 2024–25 revenue and expenditure budget after a published hearing with no public speakers. Staff said new capital funds and a state modernization award will fund most of the Highland High School rebuild; the general fund remains dominated by salaries and benefits.
The Pocatello School District 25 Board of Trustees on a unanimous voice vote adopted the district’s proposed 2024–25 revenue and expenditure budget after holding a public hearing at which no one spoke.
Jonathan, the district’s business/finance presenter, told trustees the budget and hearing were publicized in the Idaho State Journal and on property tax notices as required by Idaho statute. He said the package creates new capital funds to account for the Highland High School rebuild and identified a School District Modernization Facilities Fund that will carry much of the state modernization award. “The state is paying for that School District Modernization Facilities Fund,” he said, noting the district expects “roughly 40‑plus million” from the state modernization program to support the Highland project.
The presentation laid out the district’s fund structure and operating assumptions. Staff budgeted 565 funding units for FY25 based on average daily attendance — about 14 fewer units than the prior year — and said the general (100) fund will still be the largest operating fund. Jonathan noted that salaries and benefits account for nearly 87% of general fund expenditures, a reminder that staffing remains the district’s principal cost driver. He also told trustees that federal ESSER funds must be obligated early in the fiscal year and that the district anticipates using some beginning fund balance and transfers to balance the proposed plan.
Board members asked for clarifications about contingency and reserve policy; staff pointed to board policy that designates 1% for contingency and 4% for unappropriated fund balance. The packet and presentation also reviewed transfers into a new capital fund (410) and a modernization fund (436), plus an insurance fund (490) to capture proceeds and costs related to the Highland rebuild.
After closing the public hearing, the board moved, seconded and approved the adopted budget as presented. Staff said next steps include further line‑item review, the issuance of a budget manual for internal users, and continuing work to reconcile bid and insurance outcomes as the Highland rebuild design and procurement proceed.
Provenance: Budget presentation and adoption appear in the meeting transcript beginning with the budget presentation (SEG 241) through the adoption motion and vote (SEG 757).
