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Board reviews FY27 tentative budget; solar project, tower-field lighting and possible dome under discussion
Summary
CFO Josh Stevenson presented the FY27 tentative budget showing ~ $146.9M in revenues and $146.6M in expenditures, highlighting personnel costs, potential solar-project savings, facility projects (restrooms, chiller, switchgear, hallway flooring) and ongoing discussion about tower-field lighting versus a possible dome; board set a public hearing in September and approved the tentative budget.
CFO Josh Stevenson presented the district’s FY27 tentative budget to the board June 25, summarizing the multi-month budget process and the major variables that will influence the final September adoption.
Stevenson said the tentative FY27 budget totals just under $146.9 million in revenues and approximates $146.6 million in expenditures. Personnel (salary and benefits) remain the dominant expense, accounting for roughly two‑thirds of the projected outlay. The budget timeline calls for final adoption in September after the district completes a comprehensive facility assessment and holds a public hearing.
Key budget drivers and capital items noted: - Solar panel project: total gross cost ~ $5.5 million; administration expects net costs to be offset by credits and estimated $800,000 in FY27 budgeted net. The timing of commissioning affects FY27 impacts. - Chiller preventative maintenance (bid 27‑004) and switchgear/transformer work at Hinsdale South. Stevenson asked the board to consider awarding a three‑year chiller maintenance contract to ensure summer readiness. - Hallway flooring replacement at Central with asbestos abatement discovered; some work will likely extend beyond this fiscal year. - Exterior / stadium lighting: administration proposes replacing temporary lighting with permanent fixtures; trustees raised that permanent tower‑field lighting could be incompatible with a possible dome plan for Tower Field, making the timing and scope uncertain. Board members recommended holding off on irreversible expenditures until a long‑term decision about a dome and Tower Field's future is reached.
Stevenson also briefed the board on revenue sensitivities: interest-earnings variability, corporate replacement tax expectations, and anticipated declines in categorical reimbursements for specialized transportation (projected to be in the low 40% range). He noted the district’s deliberate reduction of salary reliance on federal grants in recent budget cycles to insulate recurring costs.
After discussion and questions about timing, safety and priority, the board voted to approve the FY27 tentative budget and scheduled a public hearing and final adoption in September. Trustees requested more detailed facility timelines and clarity about solar project commissioning before final adoption.
