Marbor County school leaders present consolidation options to close $6.8M shortfall; parents urge board to reject plans

The Marbor County Board of Education on May 27 reviewed district projections that staff said show a multimillion-dollar gap for the 2025–26 general budget and considered three cost-cutting options — from reduced work days for some employees to large-scale consolidation of elementary and intermediate schools.

Mr. Jurgensson, identified in the meeting as the district’s adult education director and a member of the leadership team, told the board projected revenues for 2025–26 are about 3,943,340 while the proposed budget stands near 46,265,133, a shortfall he described as “over $6.8 million.” He outlined three alternatives: Option A (personnel-day reductions and reassigning 14 positions to federal funds, estimated savings about $1.5 million); Option B (targeted consolidation of Kio Elementary and Bennisville Intermediate, roughly $500,000 in additional savings); and Option C (a wider restructuring that would reassign grade spans across McCall Primary, Blenham Elementary, Wallace Middle and Marbor County High), which staff said would substantially reduce costs but leave a remaining shortfall the presentation quantified variably. Jurgensson noted an additional potential $1.9 million in contractual-service reductions was “potential” savings, not guaranteed.

The presentation focused on budget math and staffing adjustments; it did not include a board decision. The superintendent and board members repeatedly told the public the materials were brought to the board at its request and that the workshop was intended to surface options for later formal consideration.

Public comment was emphatic and sustained. Dozens of parents and residents used the allotted 30 minutes to press the board to reject consolidation plans. Shelley Clark, a parent, told the board she feared longer bus rides and the loss of teachers and said consolidation would “endanger the education he’s already got.” Kimberly Meeks described family logistics and travel-time burdens under consolidation scenarios, giving specific drive-time examples and saying it could require parents to make a 63-mile round trip in some drop-off permutations. Danielle Blackwell urged the district to cut spending on Chromebooks and repairs rather than close schools, saying students learned more with conventional books and paper.

Several commenters raised special-education and safety concerns. Crystal Jones said her special-needs son had been neglected at school and asked the district to inspect the special-education program before altering school assignments. John Chavas questioned transparency and administrative costs and suggested the district examine administrative salary savings; he said, “If you truly want what’s best for our students, then you’ll stop treating us like an obstacle and start treating us like partners.”

After public comment, a board member moved that the board go into executive session to discuss personnel and legal matters. The board voted by voice to enter executive session. When members returned to open session they said no action was taken in the closed meeting. The board later voted to table consideration of specific board items (including a public-hearing advertisement and legislative update) until their next regular meeting and set further budget work and the formal budget readings for June.

The meeting’s immediate outcome was procedural: staff laid out budget options and the board deferred any formal decision. Parents and residents left the meeting urging the board to pursue alternatives that would not require consolidating schools. The board will continue its budget process with public notices and formal readings at the June meetings before any adoption.