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Lake of the Woods board approves revised 2026 budget, personnel moves and procurement threshold
Summary
At its April 27 meeting the Lake of the Woods School District board approved a revised year‑26 budget, several personnel actions, donations to school programs and retained a $25,000 micro‑purchase threshold under Minnesota law; the board also renewed district health insurance and called milk bids for 2026–27.
The Lake of the Woods School District board on April 27 approved a revised year‑26 budget, signed off on multiple personnel actions and ratified procurement and program items, the board chair announced following a finance presentation earlier in the meeting.
The board voted to adopt the revised budget after a presentation by Todd, who reported an improved unassigned general‑fund balance projected to end at roughly $669,567 (a projected fund‑balance percentage reported at about 9.34 percent) and an overall positive variance reported during the session. Board members discussed a long‑running school‑readiness deficit that traceable back to 2020 and reviewed options including transfers from the general fund and tighter accounting between program lines.
Votes at a glance - Revised year‑26 budget: motion approved (voice vote); mover/second not specified in the record. Earlier presentation projected an unassigned fund balance increase and an overall combined fund balance improvement. - Resignation accepted: Nyla Okonnell (High School special education teacher); motion approved (voice vote). - Appointments: Christine Dory approved as special education teacher; motion approved (voice vote). - Personnel nonrenewal: nonrenewal of teacher Michaela Broch approved; motion by S. Severs, second by B. Johnson; roll‑call recorded as Jerem Hack (yes), Craig Severs (yes), Robin Sigard (yes), Kayla Johnson (yes), Boy Johnson (yes). - Donations: Resolution 2025–2026‑18 accepting $37.50 from Wubonica Lutheran Church (backpack program) approved; Northwestern Minnesota Manufacturing Association ($500) and Thompson Farms ($560) donations to the welding program approved. - Procurement and policy: board approved the first reading of listed policies and retained a $25,000 micro‑purchase threshold under Minnesota Statute 471.345, subd. 5, allowing the district to use service‑cooperative purchasing and to keep a higher single‑source threshold with annual board approval. - Insurance and bids: the board renewed district health insurance with Medica through the Northwest Service Cooperative and authorized a call for milk bids for the 2026–27 school year.
Board members handled most motions by voice vote; the nonrenewal was the only item recorded with a roll‑call tally in the minutes.
Why it matters The revised budget and the micro‑purchase threshold affect near‑term district purchasing flexibility and fund management. The board’s personnel votes change staffing at the high school and preserve programming funded in part by private donations. Board discussion noted that the district still carries a school‑readiness deficit from prior years and will monitor coding and transfers as the administration finalizes the next budget cycle.
What happens next Staff will finalize contracts and budget paperwork; the superintendent will continue preparations for the June superintendent evaluation and the district will proceed with the procurement and personnel steps authorized by the board.
