Washington County Board of Education approves FY25 working budget, 5-0

The Washington County Board of Education voted 5‑0 Sept. 16 to approve its FY25 working budget and to adopt a package of routine consent items, the board said at a meeting in Springfield.

The approved motion, made by Board Member Ray Canterberry and seconded by Vice‑Chair Jeremy Thompson, formalized the working budget presented earlier in the meeting by the district treasurer. The minutes list a general fund tentative budget of $24,716,011 and a tentative total of $34,889,077. The packet cited a beginning general fund balance of $5,496,299, operating revenues of $13,666,712 and $5,294,000 in "on behalf" payments from the state.

Why it matters: the working budget sets spending priorities for the coming year and allocates payroll, operating and contingency funds that will guide district operations pending the finalized allocation the district expects by Oct. 1.

Key figures reported in the treasurer's presentation (as recorded in the minutes) include a projected SEEK allocation of $7,622,065, a property tax increase listed at $198,158, projected interest earnings of $310,000, and budgeted totals of $16,816,807 for payroll/fringe/on‑behalf costs and $7,899,204 for operating expenditures. The minutes record a budgeted contingency of $1,177,785. Employer contribution rates were listed as KTRS 3.0% (nonfederal) and CERS 19.71%.

Board members approved the consent agenda earlier in the meeting (Bd. #24‑071) by a 5‑0 vote on a motion from Carissa Harley, seconded by Ray Canterberry. The consent items recorded in the minutes include approval of Aug. 22 minutes, payment of bills, budget amendments, donations (including backpacks and school supplies), approved leave affidavits, a second amendment to the athletic training services agreement with Kentucky Orthopedic Rehabilitation, LLC (KORT), authorization for Marion/Washington County Migrant Program grant application, approval for WCES, WCMS and NWES to apply for Walmart Spark Good Local grants, multiple student trip requests (including an 8th‑grade trip to Niagara Falls and a WCHS baseball trip to Florida), approval for a Good News Club at NWES, and a memorandum of understanding with Eastern Kentucky University for the EKU Advantage Program.

The minutes also record a range of personnel actions presented to the board: multiple certified substitute hires and classified staff appointments (including special needs instructional assistants and bus drivers), coach and extra‑service assignments, at least one resignation (Whitney Bowen, yearbook sponsor at WCMS), and the noted retirement of guidance counselor Lolita Blanton. The board recorded these personnel items without separate recorded debate and took no roll call votes beyond the consent motion.

Superintendent Dr. Robin Cochran thanked school resource officers and local and state law enforcement for recent partnership and assistance, as recorded in the minutes. The meeting closed on a 5‑0 vote to adjourn at 6:16 p.m.

Votes at a glance • Bd. #24‑071 (consent agenda) — Motion: approve listed consent items. Mover: Carissa Harley. Second: Ray Canterberry. Outcome: approved 5‑0. • Bd. #24‑072 (FY25 Working Budget) — Motion: approve FY25 Working Budget as presented. Mover: Ray Canterberry. Second: Jeremy Thompson. Outcome: approved 5‑0. • Bd. #24‑073 — Motion to postpone an agenda item. Mover: Ray Canterberry. Second: Sherri Cheser. Outcome: approved 5‑0 (postponed; item not specified in minutes). • Bd. #24‑074 — Motion to adjourn. Mover: Sherri Cheser. Second: Jeremy Thompson. Outcome: approved 5‑0; meeting adjourned at 6:16 p.m.

Next steps: the minutes note the district has not yet received a finalized SEEK allocation for FY25; the working budget will be adjusted if and when the district receives that allocation (the working budget is due Oct. 1, per the treasurer's remarks).