Superintendent presents FY27 budget, notes debt payments and a nonbinding bus-barn offer; first reading for a storage building

Superintendent Pettit presented the board with a budget overview and several facilities-related proposals, including plans tied to a possible sale of the current bus barn.

Pettit (Superintendent) said the FY27 budget presented that evening directs about 79% of spending to salaries and that, despite recent raises, the district’s three‑year salary average has dropped about 3.5% due to attrition. “Seventy‑nine percent of our budget that’s presented to the board tonight goes to salaries,” Pettit said. He added the district plans to make early payments on two large debt items — including Marshall Intermediate School — which should reduce interest and ease pressure in 2029 and 2030.

Pettit told the board the district has an offer under contract for the current bus barn that is not yet binding and could close in July. To replace needed storage capacity, he presented a first reading of a proposed, utilitarian storage building to be sited on the east side of the new bus parking lot — described as a gravel-floor Morton-style building with three doors facing the lot and a pull-through bay. Pettit said funding options could include proceeds from the bus-barn sale and certain federal funds, subject to those funds’ restrictions.

Pettit also updated the board on other agenda items, including handbook approvals and next year’s board meeting dates, and reiterated there is no July board meeting. He said the budget will be the subject of motions in the meeting’s old-business segment and asked the board to consider multiple intra-fund transfers and year-end actions needed to close FY26 cleanly.

The board moved several of those budget motions that evening (see the votes-at-a-glance summary). The storage-building concept was presented as a first reading; Pettit said he will return with more details and updated cost quotes for formal approval.