Raton Board approves audit, adopts meetings resolution, approves transfers and selects architect for new PreK–12 school

The Raton Board of Education met on Jan. 20, 2025, and voted unanimously on a series of routine but consequential items, including accepting the district’s annual audit, approving budget adjustments and transfers, adopting the annual Open Meetings resolution and selecting a design professional for a new combined PreK–12 school.

Manning and Associates presented the annual audit; Byron Manning reported the district received an unmodified opinion and “came out even for the year.” The board approved the audit report by motion, 5-0.

The board also adopted Open Meetings Act Resolution 2025-01, which sets the board’s regular meeting night as the third Monday of each month unless otherwise stated. The board approved the financial report and budget adjustments/transfers as presented by business staff, and moved the February 2025 meeting from the regular third-Monday date to Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.

On the district’s largest procurement item at the meeting, the selection committee interviewed four architectural firms and recommended FBT Architects to design the new Raton combined PreK–12 school. The board voted to award the Design Professional contract (RFP 2024-1) to FBT Architects, contingent on approval by the Public School Facilities Authority (PSFA). The motion received a roll-call vote of Yes from President Jason Phillips, Mr. Ryan Boone, Mr. Dustin Walton, Ms. Brenda Ferri and Mr. Ted Kamp.

No executive session was held, and the meeting adjourned at 7:07 p.m. The board’s next meeting was set for Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.