Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Rice Lake preliminary 2026–27 budget projects about $2.4 million general‑fund shortfall
Summary
District finance staff told the board the preliminary 2026–27 budget projects roughly a $2.4 million deficit in the general fund, citing revenue growth lagging inflation, rising private‑school voucher costs and increased health‑insurance stop‑loss liability; the board approved the preliminary budget by motion.
District finance staff presented the Rice Lake Area School District’s preliminary 2026–27 budget, warning of a projected general‑fund (Fund 10) deficit of roughly $2.4 million and outlining drivers behind the gap.
The presenter explained that debt‑service and capital funds (funds 38, 39 and 49) show negative figures because the district plans to use fund balances for debt prepayments and hail‑damage insurance proceeds are being applied to tuck‑pointing projects. Food service (Fund 50) is projected to run a deficit because lunch prices have not increased since 2018 while food costs have risen.
For Fund 10, the presenter said revenues have not kept pace with inflation and cited two significant pressures: private‑school voucher costs (noted in the packet history as rising from zero in 2018 to about $622,000 in the current year) and a health‑insurance stop‑loss quote that increased the district’s maximum liability by about $1.6 million. The presenter said some cost reductions and revenue adjustments in the budget partially offset that increase but the projection remains a notable deficit.
Board members discussed special‑education transfers (Fund 27), early‑retirement obligations and the condition of aging air‑handlers at Tainter that may require capital funding or a future referendum. The board moved and approved the preliminary budget as presented; the vote was recorded as a voice vote with no roll‑call tally in the transcript.
