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Board approves tentative budget after hearing plan to cut positions to close a $2.4M general‑fund gap
Summary
Superintendent and finance staff presented a tentative district budget showing lower revenues and a projected general‑fund deficit; the board approved the tentative budget and staff said further position eliminations and negotiations are likely before a legally required balanced final budget is filed in May.
The Douglas County School District board approved a tentative budget after a presentation from district finance staff that outlined reduced revenues, declining enrollment and planned personnel reductions.
Business officials told trustees the district built a cautious plan based on a projected drop in general‑fund revenue from about $59 million to roughly $57 million for the coming fiscal year and has already identified approximately $1.6 million of savings from eliminated positions. The tentative filing still showed a general‑fund gap; staff said current estimates put the remaining deficit near $2.4 million before additional steps.
"We are still in the negative," budget presenter Sue Estus told the board, adding staff expect additional savings from recently approved eliminations and ongoing negotiation outcomes. The district estimated about 387 student withdrawals since the data pull, with roughly 215 of those recorded as moving to homeschool; staff used a conservative 200‑student enrollment decline in building the tentative numbers.
What the board did: Trustees voted unanimously to file the tentative budget (motion by Miss Nighting; second by Miss Jansen). Administration stressed that state law requires a balanced final budget and that further actions—negotiated agreements with employee groups or additional reductions in force—will be necessary to meet that requirement before the May final filing.
Key figures and next steps: Staff said the tentative budget includes expected savings from removing positions (session references list both classified and certified positions reductions), the Aspire lease removal that saves roughly $120,000, and smaller savings from combined discretionary accounts. The board heard a discussion of potential borrowing and capital‑fund strategies, including a floating bond idea to preserve capital‑project funding, but no bond action was taken.
Public comments and context: During public comment, community members thanked and recognized employees who lost positions and described successful school programs (for example, a parent described a school garden program and invited trustees to an April 28 community event). Board members and staff said they will continue negotiations with employee groups and return with a finalized, balanced budget in May.
What to watch for: The district said it will pursue negotiated solutions where possible but will prepare additional operational reductions to ensure the final budget is balanced and filed on time.
