Committee flags $2.8M shortfall, asbestos and utility-billing problems as budget drivers

District finance staff told the committee the projected deficit has increased, now estimated as high as $2.8 million in a worst-case scenario, driven in part by recently processed invoices for an investigation, asbestos remediation and snow cleanup. The asbestos remediation cleanup was roughly estimated at $165,000.

Finance staff and committee members asked for a public narrative explaining the remediation costs and said attorney timelines for possible recovery remain unclear. "That person who made that error should no longer be on our payroll," one member said in a heated exchange over the remediation expense; staff said legal counsel is preparing the necessary paperwork.

Members also reviewed a list of recent expenses and open purchase orders totaling roughly $166,000 for the month and asked administration to return with a line‑by‑line determination of which items are contractual and which are discretionary. Committee members urged faster use or disposition of existing supplies (hand sanitizer stock was noted) and called for a supplemental finance meeting to identify additional savings.

Committee discussion flagged other pressure points: special-education outside-placement costs that have fluctuated, a substitute-teacher budget approaching $900,000 and legal-services spending near $120,000. Members suggested delaying nonessential purchases (for example, textbook orders) but cautioned about contractual penalties and legal exposure, especially for special-education services that could trigger compensatory obligations.

Separately, members raised a utility-billing discrepancy after discovering Rogers High School's energy supply was billed at a higher rate than other municipal accounts; staff attributed the issue to meter or account assignment during the building transition and said the city and district purchasing staff are working to resolve the allocation and invoicing errors before the next meeting.