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Graham County board adopts 80/20 split to distribute Secure Rural Schools funds
Summary
The Graham County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to allocate newly received Secure Rural Schools funds using an 80% population / 20% public‑lands formula after staff described the federal payment and presented two distribution options.
Graham County on March 16 approved a staff‑recommended formula to distribute recently received Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments, opting for an 80% population / 20% acreage split among the county'''s school districts.
County Manager Welker told the board the county had received an additional federal payment to cover last year'''s shortfall and expects the current fiscal year'''s SRS payment in April. Manager Welker said staff prepared two distribution methodologies for the board'''s consideration and recommended the 80/20 hybrid as the most equitable compromise between population and public‑land impacts.
"We have received the additional payment from last year's allocation," Manager Welker said while explaining the options and the staff recommendation. He noted statute and federal practice require annual consideration of this funding and that a portion is directed for school bus route and road maintenance obligations.
Supervisors debated tradeoffs, acknowledging winners and losers under either approach. Supervisor David and others said the 80/20 split modestly increased funding for smaller districts with significant public lands while reducing others slightly. One board member noted Bonita Schools''' past financial hardship as context for seeking a more balanced method.
The board voted to adopt staff Methodology No. 2 (80% population, 20% acreage) for the current distribution; the motion passed unanimously.
The county manager said $45,000 of the payment was set aside to meet the county'''s obligation for school‑route and road maintenance; the remainder will be distributed according to the adopted formula. Manager Welker said the county will return in April when the remainder of this fiscal year'''s SRS funding arrives to complete any further allocations.
The decision follows months of advocacy at the federal level, Manager Welker said, and the board noted gratitude to various county and national partners who helped secure the payment. The board did not amend the staff recommendation and set no additional conditions on distribution.
The board'''s action finalizes how the current SRS payment will be allocated among Graham County school districts; staff will implement the 80/20 split and provide distribution details in a subsequent report.
