Lovell school board focuses on district budget hearing

At July’s monthly board meeting of the Big Horn County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees on Monday, members of the board focused on the district’s proposed budget for the 2025-26 school year.

After approving the consent agenda, the board paused the regular meeting to go into the budget hearing at 7:05 p.m. where the district’s business manager, Lane Partridge-Black, presented the proposed budget.

She began with the overall general fund, which includes salaries, benefits, technology, transportation, activities, libraries and counseling.

“The $2,480,000 estimated tax requirement projected comes from subtracting the $11,235,00 estimated cash and revenues from the $13,715,939 appropriations,” she explained. “It is the money we get from Big Horn County, and we do have some from Park County mills at two different tax rates.”

In Wyoming, the revenues are the mandatory contributions from property taxes specifically designated for public education.

“A huge part of it comes from the State of Wyoming with our foundation, which is a big report that I do that consists of mill levies and things like that,” she added.

The estimated amount for special revenues it set at $1,579,204 after having a beginning balance of zero as of July 1.

“The starting balance is nothing, because with federal funds, we must pay money out before getting reimbursed,” she explained. “We do have other things that come up in there on different years, like when we had all of the ESSER funds and different things from year to year.”

With the cash available and estimated revenues, the major maintenance fund came out to $2,486,640.

“Major maintenance is when we do our roofs or our gym floors and things like that,” Partridge-Black said. “It is when we are making improvements to something we already have, not going and getting new.”

The depreciation reserve fund came out to $589,699. Partridge-Black explained that it is the account where money can be put away and used for things like equipment, technology and building renovations, and that is where the district recently funded the track project from.

Food service started with a zero balance on July 1 after the district transferred $108,000 at the end of the fiscal year to reach the zero balance and is set to have $950,000 in appropriations this coming year. 

Lastly, the pupil activity fund represents the fundraising from student councils, FCCLA, SkillsUSA and all other fundraising accounts. The beginning balance is $250,590 and has $365,000 in estimated revenues.

The hearing was brief, and the board resumed the regular board meeting at 7:11 p.m.

Due to school being out on summer break, the only report given was by maintenance director Kyle Fluty, who shared updates on summer projects around the district.

Fluty reported that all elementary school classrooms receiving new carpet have been painted and prepped. He also shared the following completions: temporary fix to chiller, replacement batteries in high school’s fire alarm system, windows replaced at the high school, exterior doors with security issues addressed and inspection of the fire pump system.

OLD & NEW BUSINESS

The board approved changes to the following policies for old business: DKC-E1, request for out of district travel; DKC-E2, travel expense vouchers; DKC-R, expense authorization and reimbursement; and IHBG, home schooling.

In new business, the board members approved a bid to purchase a 2025 Ford Expedition as a staff vehicle from Fremont Motors for $68,283.

They then approved the following mill levies: one mill for the Lovell Recreation District, a half mill for the local BOCES and another half mill for the Northwest BOCES in Thermopolis.

There was no need for an executive session and no resignations or new hires. The only change comes from a preschool para-professional transferring to a special education para position. The preschool para position is now posted for applicants.

The meeting adjourned at 7:42 p.m., and the August board meeting is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m.