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Letcher County board approves tentative FY‑27 budget, adds SRO funding
Summary
The Letcher County Board of Education approved a tentative fiscal year 2027 budget on May 18, 2026, endorsing a roughly $300,000 line to cover school resource officer costs above state grant funding and moving the draft to the next procedural steps.
The Letcher County Board of Education voted May 18 to approve a tentative budget for fiscal year 2027 after a presentation from the district finance staff. The board moved and approved the draft so staff can continue the formal budget process and meet the district deadline.
Why it matters: the tentative budget sets spending limits for the district and frames priorities as the board prepares a working budget this fall. The finance presentation warned the district faces an enrollment‑driven revenue shortfall and other pressure points that could affect school programs and staffing.
The finance director reviewed the district’s fund balances and major projections, reporting a general fund balance and itemized funds before discussing FY‑27 assumptions. The presentation identified an estimated seat‑funding shortfall of about $672,000 compared with state forecasts and flagged local tax erosion following flood‑related property sales as a continuing concern.
On staffing and safety, the finance director said the draft includes roughly $300,000 to cover the salaries and equipment costs for additional school resource officers beyond the state grant allocation. “We added a line item in there. It’s roughly $300,000 for that to cover the salaries,” the finance director said, noting the state provides a $20,000 grant per SRO but district costs exceed that amount.
The draft also reflected higher fuel projections (budgeted for roughly $400,000) and other year‑end timing considerations the director said the board should monitor as summer payrolls and final revenue figures are reconciled.
Board members asked clarifying questions about timing and projection methods. The finance director said the tentative budget is a working document and that staff will continue refining projections over the summer before the final budget is adopted in September.
The board approved the tentative budget by motion. The superintendent and finance staff will proceed with the next administrative submissions and bring a working budget back to the board later in the year.
Procedural note: a tentative budget is not the final appropriation; it establishes the district’s spending framework for public notice and later revision before final adoption.
