Jenison Public Schools board adopts 2026–27 budget, approves 8.5‑mill debt levy

The Jenison Public Schools Board of Education voted June 8 to adopt the district's 2026–27 General Fund, Debt Retirement and School Service budgets and set debt levies totaling 8.5 mills for the coming fiscal year.

Chris Marcy, director of finance & operations, presented the general fund assumptions to the board at the Jenison Center for the Arts, reporting projected revenue of $86,153,612 and expenses of $88,012,907 for 2026–27. Marcy said the budget reflects an 18.0000 mills tax levy, a $250 per‑student foundation allowance increase (to $10,250), no projected change in pupil count, adjustments to state and federal grants, loss of one‑time funding, and an increase in interdistrict source receipts tied to property tax growth.

The board also reviewed a PFM schedule, updated with the county's latest taxable values, showing proposed debt millage rates by fund: 2017 (1.08 mills), 2020 Building & Site (3.13 mills), 2024 Building & Site (0.59 mills), 2026 Refunding Bonds (1.19 mills) and 2026 Building & Site (2.510 mills), for a combined 8.5 mills to be levied for 2026–2027. Marcy presented the schedule as part of the debt retirement section of the budget.

The proposed budgets include a school food service plan that the administration described as providing free meals to all students, planned staff pay increases and capital expenditures to reduce an excess fund balance. Administration also explained a GASB reporting change that requires school activity funds to be reported in a School Service Fund; anticipated revenues and expenditures for that fund are $1.5 million and the fund balance was listed as $967,653 on June 30, 2025.

Motion by Chris Reed, supported by William Waalkes, to adopt the General Fund, Debt Retirement and School Service Budgets for 2026–27 passed on a 7–0 roll call vote (Ayes: Mooney, Waalkes, Hartman, Reed, Griffin, Hogan, Jenison). Earlier in the meeting the board approved an amended budget for the 2025–26 fiscal year for the General Fund and Food Service Fund by a unanimous vote.

Votes at a glance (all recorded as approved by 7–0 unless noted): - Amended 2025–26 General Fund & Food Service budgets — motion by Chris Reed (approved). - MHSAA membership resolution — motion by Jennifer Griffin (approved). - NWEA contract renewal for 2026–27, $48,760 ($14.50 per student) — approved. - Transfer of remaining funds from 2011A School Building & Site Bonds (approx. $632,614) — approved. - Transfer of remaining funds related to defeased 2016 bond issue (approx. $413,000) — approved. - Jenison Innovation Academy purchase of 180 Chromebooks, $73,053 — approved. - Non‑Cat VII handbook revisions (teacher workday and schedule changes, BLT stipend removal, parent engagement nights renaming) — approved. - Bus purchase from Midwest Transit, $149,956 (MSBO program) — approved. - Poured‑in‑place surfacing at ECC playground (GameTime), $36,568 — approved. - Bid package for precast concrete for the new Upper Elementary Building, $861,960 — approved.

The board recorded each approval with motions and roll call votes as part of the regular meeting. Several motions used standard mover/supporter language in the minutes; all recorded roll call tallies for the actions above were unanimous.

After business and discussion items, the board recessed and later adjourned to a closed session at 7:59 p.m. for attorney‑client privileged communication pursuant to the Open Meetings Act; no substantive details from the closed session are recorded in the public minutes.

Background: Under Michigan law the district is required to adopt its annual budget before June 30 each fiscal year. The board's adoption now moves the district into its 2026–27 fiscal planning and allows debt millages to be levied as listed above.