Watertown board approves audit, several purchases and multiple personnel actions

The Watertown School District board unanimously approved the district’s fiscal 2024–25 audit and a series of procurement and personnel items at its March meeting.

Heidi Classen, the district’s business manager, told the board the audit received an unmodified (clean) opinion from the Department of Legislative Audit. The audit showed the district’s net position rose by $6.9 million to more than $137 million; FY25 revenue topped $113 million and expenditures were about $106 million. The audit also reported approximately $15.3 million in federal funds received in FY25; the student financial aid cluster was identified for detailed testing (about $10.3 million of the federal funds) and no findings were reported in those major programs.

On procurement and capital items, the board approved a Sourcewell cooperative bid for Mallette Elementary playground equipment from My Turn Play Systems for $71,430 to be charged to the FY26–27 capital outlay fund; authorized a $97,530 purchase of a motor grader for the Heavy Equipment Operator program (funded by the FY26 Perkins grant) from Butler Machinery; approved a $15,390 bid for a nursing anatomy table (federal grant funded) to expand anatomy lab access without student travel; and accepted a $94,130 cooperative bid from Johnson Controls to replace two rooftop HVAC units at the Met building out of the maintenance and repair budget.

The board approved change order No. 8 for the Archway Complex that increases the contract by $1,156 for a revised total of $20,688,967 and declared various tech and instructional equipment surplus for sale. It also approved a five‑year print management agreement with A&B Business Inc., replacing 60 devices with leased equipment and consolidating toner types to improve operations; the lease increases current costs by $200 per month but includes service and maintenance. The board authorized a Sourcewell bid contract number 101625‑BUR for playground equipment and approved other routine contracts and addendums for spring semester staffing.

Personnel actions approved included listed resignations and retirements, contract recommendations and addendums, and authorization to continue employment for LATC administrators and K‑12 administrators and directors. One motion to authorize K‑12 administrators drew a roll‑call vote (motion carried 4–1 as recorded). The board also approved first and second readings or adoptions of multiple personnel and related policies (job sharing, homebound instruction, GCA/GCB/GCC/GCF family of policies).

Public comment on agenda and non‑agenda items was not offered at the meeting. The board moved into executive session at 6:41 p.m. and stated no action would follow other than adjournment.