Basin school board passes budget

The Big Horn County School District No. 4 board of trustees approved the 2025-26 fiscal year budget as presented by Business Manager Trevor Whitaker at their July 8 meeting. 

The total budget amounts to $7,833,785. Revenue is projected at $7,861,718. 

“Overall, the General Fund is in very good condition, with 23% in reserves. Currently the reserve cap is at 30% with a horizon date of June 2028. The projected surplus for 2026 will be used to fund depreciation reserves for planned capital projects,” Whitaker wrote in a report to the school board. He noted that the district is currently being reimbursed for four buses at a rate of $104,714 per year. 

Capital construction is expected to exceed the current balance of $229,259 and require support from the general fund; the same with the lunch fund with $115,000 budgeted to cover its shortfall. The Special Revenue Fund, supported by state and federal grants, is based off an estimated $1,241,826 in remaining amounts as well as predicted monies yet to be received. 

Amendments to the 2024-2025 budget were also approved as presented by Whitaker; a $504,048 difference to the general fund, $417,040 difference to the federal fund and $910,000 difference in major maintenance. 

In other school board news:

Brenda Wood’s application for a vacant seat on the board was accepted.

Two sex-designated facilities policies passed on their second reading, as well as two policies allowing the district to pull unpaid lunch tabs from staff’s paychecks.

A non-resident student application was accepted.

Alexis Duncan was hired as head coach for middle school girls basketball; Keri DeFord was hired as assistant middle school volleyball coach.