Verndale School Board Members Retain Their Positions
- Trinity Gruenberg
- 24 minutes ago
- 1 min read
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Verndale School Board held their regular meeting on Monday, January 5, which began with the organizational meeting. Scott Veronen will continue as board chair, Chris Youngbauer remains vice chair, Tahna Rurup is still the clerk, and Tyler Fisher continues as treasurer. Board compensation remains the same: $80 for regular board meetings, $50 additional for the chair, and $60 for extra meetings or committee meetings.
Budget Revision
Mackenzie Schertler, business manager, presented a revised budget for fiscal year 2026, highlighting that the student enrollment count had increased by about 17 students compared to the prior projections. This adjustment led to a rise in revenues, as each student added roughly $10,300 to the budget.
Expenses had also increased by about $400,000 since the original budget was adopted. Contributing factors included higher costs for services such as attorney and audit fees, transportation, and a significant technology and equipment purchase, as well as expenses related to playground improvements. Some costs, such as playground equipment, were shifted from the previous fiscal year to the current one due to delivery delays.
The impact of state mandates was also discussed. Extra funds were received through compensatory aid, resulting in a smaller projected decrease in the general fund balance than initially expected. Compliance with state requirements, like paid leave and increased unemployment costs, had put additional strain on the budget. They also mentioned a severance payout in food services and routine increases in food and supply prices. Community services saw more budgeted hours for paraprofessional staff, and the debt service fund reflected increased state aid...
