September 14, 2026 Board Work Session

At the September 14, 2026 Saint Joseph Schools Board Work Session, administrators presented a resolution for a tax anticipation note of up to $8 million to manage cash flow before December revenues arrive; the prior-year limit was $10 million. The district reported a $3.6 million deficit attributed to incomplete state formula funding and estimated that an operating fund balance of about 14% would avoid the need for the November borrowing. The transcript records no vote on the note. The board also discussed continuing the Civic Arena rental agreement for high school graduation with no changes, raising parking and seating-capacity concerns and the possibility of exploring other venues; no approval vote is shown. A preliminary list of obsolete surplus items was presented, with an auction anticipated toward the end of October at Pershing Elementary and notices planned for the district website and local newspaper.

Other fiscal discussion included approximately $37,000 in legal expenses for the We the People lawsuit, including a $30,000 insurance policy limit and an anticipated additional bill of $6,980; staff said the effect on future premiums was not yet known. The board discussed state and local school funding, district reserves, and statewide cost increases, but no procurement awards or purchasing approvals were identified. It also requested cost and budget information for the superintendent’s professional memberships and conferences and discussed adding quarterly legal-cost reporting and considering electronic board voting.