Washington County board advances revised school budget

The Washington County Board of Education approved a revised budget amendment Tuesday in a called meeting after the district's proposed fiscal year 2027 budget was rejected twice by the county budget committee. Board member Chad Fleenor made a motion, after a work session discussion among board members, to eliminate 24 positions through attrition and retirements, including 20 teaching positions and four district-level positions, in an effort to reduce the district's projected deficit. "It gives a deficit of $5.2 million," Fleenor said in the motion. "Out of that $5.2, I'd like to take $3.2 out of our fund balance and ask for the commission to give us $2 million to fix the deficit." The amendment passed with one dissenting vote from board member Keith Ervin. During the prior work session, board members raised concerns about the district's fund balance and future financial stability. Board member Eric Barnes requested an update to the district's fund balance policy. "I believe if this motion passes, it will drop us below our board policy of two months fund balance by the end of this upcoming fiscal year," Barnes said. "I think we need to follow-up and have it in our agenda for the next meeting reducing our fund balance policy." At the budget committee meeting last Tuesday commissioners made a recommendation to the board to consider getting rid of its reserve fund. A reserve fund of two months is recommended by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, but it is not a requirement. Board Chairwoman Annette Buchanan said the policy discussion will be added to the board's next meeting agenda. Board members discussed the possibility of future program cuts if revenues do not improve in the next fiscal year. Buchanan said the district is currently in "survival mode." The initial requested increase for the 2027 school year included salary increases, bus replacements, health insurance increases and maintaining the materials, supplies and resources provided to students. A nonnegotiable budget increase is the mandatory salary increase for all WCS teachers to a minimum of $50,000. This increase complies with new state requirements being implemented for the 2026-27 school year. The revised budget presented to the committee last Tuesday, which was rejected, was a more than $700,000 decrease than the original budget request. The revised request showed a more than $2 million increase from the current fiscal year overall. Additionally, the board requested a $2 million increase in sales tax revenue. The committee approved a $1 million increase in sales tax revenue for the schools May 8, but Washington County Mayor Joe Grandy said he is "uncomfortable" with an additional $1 million increase during the last committee meeting. Director of Schools Jerry Boyd is scheduled to present the revised budget Thursday.