Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the District Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Coquille SD 8 warns of $1.8 million shortfall as enrollment falls and facility damage piles up
Summary
Superintendent Gallagher told the board the district faces a projected $1.8 million budget gap tied to declining enrollment and unexpected facility costs from a major high-school leak; administrators said they will present a cost-cutting plan at the February meeting.
Superintendent Gallagher told the Coquille SD 8 board that declining enrollment and recent facility damage have created heavy budget pressure and will require substantial cuts.
Gallagher said the district is currently projecting to submit an 1,130 enrollment estimate to the state — 70 students below the district budget — and that the change, combined with other roll-up costs, reduces next year’s revenue. "We are estimating today based on these numbers that we are $1,800,000 that needs to be cut out of our budget for next school year," Gallagher told the board.
The superintendent described several concrete expenses that are contributing to the strain: district per-student revenue of $11,048, a projected revenue decrease of about $773,000 tied to enrollment, and an interim tally of facility-related costs. Gallagher said bids to repair erosion and railings behind the high school will total about $33,000, replacement sump pumps for the boiler room about $7,300, and the district negotiated a water charge of roughly $23,000 after an extended leak. Business-office estimates put other roll-up costs at about $1,025,000.
The district’s fiscal director reported the annual audit was returned on time but included one finding related to compliance with Oregon budget law; the printed audit report was expected to be distributed later. The fiscal director said staff will follow up with auditors and—when necessary—consult state officials to avoid repeat findings.
Gallagher said the district will bring an initial plan to the board in February outlining recommended reductions and next steps. "We will be working the admin team and I are working on a plan, and we will present that plan to the board at the February board meeting," Gallagher said.
The report also included updates on operations: the high-school boiler remains out of service for part of the building, parts were ordered and expected to arrive the following week, and staff are still assembling documentation for insurance claims related to the leak. Gallagher thanked maintenance and local contractors for their rapid response to the emergency.
The board did not take immediate action on spending cuts at the meeting; Gallagher and the administration signaled they would return with a proposed plan and more exact numbers at the February meeting.
