001call uh the special meeting to order. Uh Amy, if you want to go ahead and do roll call, please. Mr. Chavez here. Mrs. Evansson is absent. Mrs. Heights here. Mr. Jones Mr. Jones here. Miss Lima here. Thanks. Thanks, Mr. Jones. Miss Lima is also absent. Okay, great. Thank you. All right. Do I have a motion to approve the agenda for this evening? Motion to approve the agenda. Second, Mr. Chavez. Approved. Mrs. Heights. Yes. Mr. Jones. Yes. Okay. So, first up, we have our budget presentation with Mel. So, Mel, if you want to go ahead and take it away. Melanie, you are muted. We're unable to hear you. Am I still muted? Now you are. Now, now you're there. Okay. Okay. All right. You all are seeing the presentation now, right? You can hear me. Okay.
002Yep. Yes. Perfect. Yes. So, tonight's presentation is to formally present uh the 252026 proposed budget in compliance with our state requirements. Um just last week, last Tuesday, the board was presented with a very comprehensive update um mostly on the general fund budget. And so with that in mind tonight I'll be recapping some of that information um and then discussing updates to some of our other funds outside of the general fund as well as reviewing the next steps in our budget process. So this is a tight budget year like we've been talking about in regards to our new funding. Um, our projected state funding increase remains at just a half a percent. Um, a little over a million dollars expected and that's due to changes in student count averaging um going from five years of averaging
003down to four and then the declining um enrollment that continues. Relatively small increases are expected to the other state categorical funding in the areas of special education, vocational, alpa, transportation, and small attendance area as well as our federal ROC program reimbursements. Um, actually the largest increase uh we're expecting next year comes from our interest and investment earnings of one and a half million and that brings us to a total of 2.9 million in additional revenue for next year. Um I'm not going to go line by line on these this time, but we've detailed the areas in which the district is making reductions to expenditures. Uh the largest which come from school closures and staffing changes for next year. Uh we continue to look for opportunities to balance the budget. Uh, for an example, since last
004week, there's an additional part-time central office position that was reduced, um, which changed the savings presented last week by $24,000, increasing that savings that we're expecting. Um, you've heard me say that this year is kind of a one-two punch. So, in addition to our meager revenue increases that we're expecting that it's not a great year in state funding, our district self-insured medical plan and our student transportation budgets both require large cost increases next year, accounting for about 4.6 million of the 6.9 million in contractual or required expenditure additions for next year. Um, these amounts haven't changed since last week's presentation. And then just understanding our budget situation. Um only a few line items rose to the level of priority additions and uh most notably the addition of PYP out at Taylor Elementary which completes the
005IB pathway. Again, these amounts haven't changed since last week's presentation. So, putting all these pieces together into a recap, this year's proposed budget represents a base budget u with expected expenditures still slightly exceeding our expected revenues. Um, the proposed budget does include changes to revenues, expenditures, and transfers that have been detailed on the previous slides, but because our negotiations with MVA are still pending, the proposed base budget doesn't include any annual salary increases or additional stipen payments at this time. Um, and for employee benefits, only the increase to the district's contribution to health insurance premiums is included in this base budget. So outside of the general fund, there are some funds uh with some notable um changes or some funds that we're watching closely. Um we're seeing increasing pressures across a lot of our funds
006and so that's what a lot of this information is. Um but within fund 17, that's where we keep our 2024 mil levy override and before that the one that was passed in 2017. Uh we also have some state mil levy match revenues that we've received in fiscal year 23 and 24 um that we'll be using as a one-time expense for some school Chromebook refreshes. So anticipating being able to use those funds for about 3,300 Chromebooks out in schools. Um fund 19 is our preschool fund. Um it it's entering its third year in the universal preschool program and the revenues and costs associated with preschool are held separately in this fund. Um of note, the Nisley building will be utilized as an early childhood center beginning next year. And overall, our preschool program is planning for
007901 preschoolers and two fewer classrooms um than were needed this year. Um that's one that we'll continue to monitor revenues just knowing um the universal preschool revenue um and the additional transfer that's been needed from the general fund in order to support those costs. In fund 21, our nutrition services is also in year three of a state program called the healthy school meals for all. Um, unfortunately that program is underfunded and there will be a couple ballot measures on the November election asking to um increase the revenues or retain revenues in order to continue that program as it's currently designed. Um, but really it's only the funding is only guaranteed through midy year. um we've budgeted as if that that revenue will continue um with voter approval in November, but if that were to not
008come through, there would be some um changes that would need to happen in that fund around the revenues and then as well as around staffing because healthy school meals for all program has really increased the number of meals that have been um served per day for our students as well. And then lastly, our fund 62 medical insurance. Um that budget accounts for the increases to premiums that we've been talking about. That'll take place at open enrollment. So for January 1st, which will impact employees December paychecks and that's based on our rising claim costs. So, just a reminder of next steps. After tonight's presentation, the budget documents will be available for public inspection, either through accessing the district's transparency web page or printed versions, which we'll have available at the district office. Um, following tonight, there
009will be two public budget hearings at the start of the June board meetings um to allow for community feedback and then the budget adoption is currently scheduled for June 17th. Um, so with that, I'll open it up for any questions that you might have. Director Chavez or Director Jones, do you guys have any other questions other than I think any Well, I guess in addition to anything that was from last week. No, no, I don't have anything that was was well put together. Thank you. Yeah, I don't I don't have any additional questions. Thank you, Mel, for going over that again. Yep, of course. Thank you. And thank you guys for your involvement. I know we've been talking about this for a while now. Um but so thank you again. Well, you make it easy
010for us. You do such a good job. So, yeah. All right. Um next up, we have our administrative um new hires. So um so first up, so we have two new principles. Um so first up we have Zebulun Hayward um who it will be the new principal well if approved. Um at Central High School um and then we have Emily Curry who is recommended to be the Rimrock Elementary School principal. So do I have a motion to approve um these two new administrative hires? Motion to approve both new hires. Second. Okay. Any discussion? No. I just want to say congratulations. Oh, not congratulations. Well, you know, good job to both of them. They're both good new hires and Zeb has done an amazing job over at Palis. So, it'll be good to see what, you
011know, he could do at Central with those kids. Uh, he cares about kids and, you know, like they're all his own. So, it'll be good to see what he can do over at Central. I'd agree, Director Jones. I think these two picks are um are really good uh for both of these positions. Um coming from uh just previous schools, um you know, Miss Curry coming from Dos Rios obviously has some experience, you know, moving into Rimrock and yeah, Mr. Hayward coming from Palisade being able to move into Central High School. So, I would agree. Okay, seeing no other discussion, we can go ahead and call the vote. Mr. Chavez, approved. Mrs. Heights? Yes. Mr. Jones? Yes. Right. Dr. Hill, would you like to say a few words? Oh, I I think y'all did a great
012job. Um the uh we are excited as well. Um like you said, the uh the bulleted list of their background is part of the board packet. So, if anybody wants to take a look at that, it's on our website. Um, but both very experienced um administrators um and have um uh have experience that I think will lend um very well to the schools that they're stepping into. And so, and they're both just really excited to be at um at both of these schools. And that was very evident throughout the interview process. So, I'm excited for both um Central High School uh and Rimrock Elementary to have these leaders leading them in the future. So, thank you board for approving that. All right. Wonderful. All right. Um, any open board discussion? Okay. All right. Seeing none,
013do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion to adjurnn. All right. Thank you everyone for your time this evening. Uh, enjoy the rest of your evening. We'll see you all next week. Right on the third. Yep. Yep. Okay. Thank you all. Thanks. Thank you.