Rainier SD 13 finance update: business manager flags $380,000 state reconciliation and timing impacts

At the Rainier SD 13 July 13 meeting, business manager Bryce Bongarner told the board the district is facing a one‑time revenue adjustment tied to the state school fund reconciliation that will show as a roughly $380,000 reduction in funds from fiscal 2024–25 when the state applies its May revise.

Bongarner said the district saved about $250,000 in transportation costs tied to the four‑day school week, but the state’s reimbursement pattern for that transportation grant means the district will likely see a roughly $200,000 negative adjustment in the upcoming May revise for the 2026–27 fiscal year — a timing and projection issue rather than an immediate cash‑flow emergency. He told the board the district will still meet its beginning fund balance target of approximately $700,000 (roughly an 8% target), but staff will reduce state‑fund revenue projections and refine the multi‑year cash forecast.

Bongarner outlined other operational items: auditors’ field work is scheduled for September, the district plans to reclaim stored records and reduce recurring storage costs, and staff contacted a records‑management vendor to retrieve old payroll and administrative records.

Board members asked for follow‑up detail on athletics revenue and participation fees; several trustees recommended a one‑time, board‑level review of participation and admissions revenue versus expenses before making fee policy changes. Bongarner said participation and admissions generate modest revenue ($25,000–$30,000 in admissions and about $5,000–$6,000 in participation fees reported for the year) and cautioned that eliminating fees would require offsetting those dollars elsewhere in the budget.

What’s next: The board asked Bongarner to prepare a targeted report comparing athletic program revenues and expenses and to present that analysis at an upcoming meeting.