CAMANO: School board hears budget report, discusses policy

Isabella Loy reports from the Stanwood-Camano School District board meeting of Tue., July 2, 2024 for the Stanwood Camano News.

The Stanwood-Camano School District Board of Directors met Tuesday, July 2, to hear an update on the 2024-25 budget and discuss various policies and procedures.

Executive Director of Business Services Ruth Floyd gave a budget development update to the board — in preparation for finalization and adoption next month.

After the board was done hearing reports, members discussed a few pieces of policy and procedure — and talked about the processes for choosing student advisers.

They Said It

“Before we even get to close out this current fiscal year, we’re looking ahead to the next fiscal year and budget development which we have been working diligently on for about 10 months or so,” Floyd said.

“Anytime that we have a budget, we’re always trying to look forward into the future so that we can be prepared for any unforeseen costs or unexpected items.”

While the budget is still in draft form, Floyd said she does not foresee any major changes before adoption.

To cover this gap [of about $1.3 million more in spending than revenue], money will be pulled from the general fund.

Floyd said the goal in upcoming years is to get the expenditures and revenues as close as possible.

“That way … we’re spending the money we need to on our students but yet not dipping into fund balance consistently every year,” she said.

Director Betsy Foster brought up concerns about how [the board’s two student advisors] are selected.

“I think the board should have part of the selection and be involved in the selection process,” she said.

Director Miranda Evans and Board Vice President Charlotte Murry spoke with high school students last year about their feelings on this topic.

Evans told Foster that a change in how representatives are elected would likely not go over well.

“We met with the students that were the president and vice president of the leadership for Stanwood High School, and they felt pretty strongly that the student representatives should be selected by the students themselves,” Evans said. “That’s why they have it in their constitution.”

“I look forward to talking more about it,” Foster said.