Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
La Crescent‑Hokah board adopts FY26 budget after state levy correction reduces district revenue
Summary
The La Crescent‑Hokah School District adopted a preliminary FY26 budget after trustees discussed a roughly $400,000 state revenue adjustment tied to 2023 ADM reporting; board approved the budget while staff warned of planned revisions after the audit.
The La Crescent‑Hokah School District board adopted a preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget on a voice vote after finance staff outlined a series of revenue adjustments that reduce district funding for the coming year.
Superintendent Mindy said state corrections to average daily membership (ADM) reporting for 2023 are driving an expected revenue reduction of roughly $400,000 that will affect the FY26 levy and budget. “It irritates the Jesus out of me that I and I do our planning on and we come up with budgets and we come up with plans and then through no fault of our own…we had two major areas that went through transitions,” Mindy said during the discussion, describing staff frustration over the late adjustment.
School finance staff presented a preliminary picture in which the district is projecting deficit spending in FY26. The presentation cited steps taken to reduce community education’s deficit—from an earlier figure read aloud in the meeting to a smaller shortfall after revenue and expense adjustments—and showed a general‑fund projection that places some deficit amounts into restricted funds where allowable. Staff said the district currently projects an unassigned fund balance of about $811,000 under the preliminary figures presented.
Board members voted to adopt the FY26 budget, with administrators emphasizing the budget’s preliminary status and the need to revise it after the district audit. Finance staff said the audit is expected to begin in August or September and recommended a formal revised budget in October to reflect audit results and clearer state aid numbers, with an additional revision possible in January.
Julie (district finance/presenter) and Beth (finance staff) walked trustees through the line‑by‑line changes and recommended strategies—such as using qualifying restricted funds where appropriate—to reduce the district’s unassigned exposure. The board also discussed enrollment trends, staffing implications and the timing of state title and aid notifications that could affect final figures.
The board’s action preserves operational authority while directing staff to return with updated numbers after the audit. The district plans further budget reviews in October and again in early 2026, and administrators said they will monitor enrollment and state aid changes closely before making personnel commitments tied to recurring costs.
What happens next: staff will ask the auditor to begin work earlier if possible, prepare an October revised budget after audit findings, and present any staffing or program changes informed by updated revenue projections.
