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District projects gap for 2026-27; staff outline transfers and possible cuts
Summary
Staff told the board the district faces a projected shortfall (rough estimate $650,000 for the year and roughly $1.2M in additional needs to maintain planned services), with $7.5M left to spend in June; options discussed included moving maintenance salaries to capital outlay, using contingency reserves (board approval required), position freezes and cuts, and textbook fund transfers.
District finance staff provided a detailed budget update covering the close of the 2025-26 fiscal year and planning for 2026-27. Staff reported an audited legal max for the general fund of $13,300,000 and an LOB (supplemental general fund) limit of $4,300,000. "We roughly have going into June about $7,500,000 left to spend in expenses in the general fund," one staff presenter said while walking through year-end items and required transfers.
Staff estimated a projected shortfall of approximately $650,000 for the current year if no further changes are made and described a larger funding gap going into 2026-27 that could total about $1.2 million for planned activities. The business team described options to close the gap: reallocating approved capital outlay authority to pay maintenance salaries (a practice some districts use), drawing on contingency reserves (which must be approved by the board), freezing positions when vacancies occur, and moving funds into the textbook fund to cover curriculum updates. Staff emphasized these moves are not sustainable indefinitely and that they will return to the board with final numbers in July after month-end reconciliation.
Board members questioned timing and asked whether a late-June special meeting or final approval at the July meeting would be preferable; staff recommended finalizing transfers with accurate numbers after the June close and then seeking approval at the regular July meeting so the board sees final figures before audit. The board accepted the process change to review final numbers in July.
