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Board reviews draft budget; salary increases and attorney fees draw questions
Summary
Board reviewed the first draft of the FY budget, noting a 23% increase in salary lines (COLA, promotions, multiyear contracts) and questions from the public about $18,000 in attorney fees; staff said the bills represented two months of invoices and outlined reasons for legal expenses.
During the budget discussion, the board highlighted several drivers of operating-cost increases, including a 23% rise in salaries due to cost-of-living adjustments, a promotion for the office manager and multiyear contract increases for senior staff. The chair credited district staff with helping secure grant funding that offsets many capital costs and with undertaking tasks that reduce outside accounting fees.
A public commenter said, "What I'm mainly concerned about is the $18,000 for attorney's fees. It's way, way out of line," prompting staff to explain that the invoices represented two months of legal work covering grant negotiations, HR/manual updates, a civil grand jury inquiry response and review of public records/confidentiality questions. Office manager Katie agreed to try to itemize consultant disbursements in future reports so the board can see which projects consultant payments support. The board agreed to revise budget figures and return with a second pass before a public hearing and final approval.
