Brandon Valley School District approves bills, hears financial report as capital projects near completion

Brandon Valley School District 49-2 trustees on Thursday approved the meeting agenda and a slate of bills and claims and received a monthly financial report showing roughly $19.9 million in cash on hand and multiple capital projects nearing completion.

Mr. Lmberg presented the bills and claims and highlighted several large payments, saying the district made a first payment to Dell's Electric as part of a roughly $200,000 high‑school switch‑gear project and paid $878,854 to Pesca Construction as part of the larger multi‑million construction program. He also reported a $63,622 tuition payment to Sioux Falls School District for the CTE Academy (the district contracts 40 student slots for second‑semester tuition) and progress payments to Visions Construction on another capital contract. “It's a $200,000 total project where they're redoing all the switch gear in the high school,” Mr. Lmberg said.

The board then heard the April cash and investment report. Mr. Lmberg said the district closed April with about $19.9 million in cash: $9.1 million in the general fund, approximately $4.387 million in the capital outlay fund, $285,000 in bond redemption, $69,000 in enterprise funds and about $6.1 million in capital projects. He noted receipts should increase in May with the second tax draw and summarized year‑to‑date expenditure percentages, reporting general fund spending near budget and special education trending slightly above last year but expected to finish close to plan.

Superintendent Larson updated the board on construction timelines. Larson told trustees the new elementary project remains on schedule for late June/early July completion and said the middle‑school project is on track for mid‑August readiness, but warned summer connectivity, HVAC and mechanical work may temporarily affect bus routes and site access. “We have finishes going in … I would anticipate wrapping up in the end of June and … looking to be getting in there mid‑July,” Larson said.

Votes at a glance: the board approved the agenda, approved minutes from April 13 and April 27, approved the bills and claims as presented, and voted to accept the financial report. Consent agenda items two through nine and personnel items one through thirty were also approved during the meeting; each motion was moved, seconded and adopted with no recorded opposition in the transcript.

The board was told a preliminary capital outlay budget presentation will be provided at the next meeting and that the formal budget hearing is scheduled for July. The trustees next meet on Tuesday, May 26.