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With very little discussion of the proposed budget revisions before them, members of the Chisago Lakes School Board agreed last week on fiscal year 2025-2026 budget revisions.  About $880,000 is being trimmed to better align the upcoming year’s budget with enrollment revenue projections and expenditures.

District Superintendent Brian Dietz and Director of Business Services Robyn Vosberg-Torgerson gave the Board a list of about $350,000 worth of savings in general staffing and retirement reductions, and another $386,000 tied to certified staff  cuts. One of those positions is based in the Primary School, one at the middle school and three in the high school.  The specific positions are not identified.

The Board was advised the reductions are “enrollment based” with the exception of an administrative assistant position cut in the district office.

The next School Board meeting will have acceptance of the fully revised budget, with these adjustments,  on its agenda.

Board member Jeff Lindeman observed that the district is “living within its means” and doing what is necessary, he added.

The district has lost in excess of $5 million since 2020 due to a 200 student decline in enrollment, according to Vosberg-Torgerson.   

She also cautioned the Board the current fiscal year balance at year end is projected to be slightly below the district policy threshold for carryover of unrestricted monies.  The Board policy is seven percent of annual expenditures, and the 2024 year end balance was estimated at 6.8 percent.  (The policy on a target balance is part of fiscal planning for security in times when tax revenues may fall short or tax distributions are delayed for some reason.)   

Other expense reductions are $40,000 slated for athletic training and $30,000 in the budget for summer transportation.  Equipment and inner district operational savings will be reduced by $67,664.

The Board voted to pull out the item of $21,000 that goes into supporting costs for staff to assist at Wolf Ridge and New York City sleepover trips, and these trip budgets will be reviewed later. 

Dietz commented the state legislature will hopefully come up with a state education budget in this session that provides some “flexibility” for districts.  He added there isn’t much known yet on how the disassembly of the federal Department of Education might impact Chisago Lakes directly. 

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