Oconee County Board backs tentative FY27 budget, approves contracts and field trips in unanimous vote

The Oconee County Board of Education on May 11 received a detailed Business Services presentation on the district’s tentative fiscal year 2027 budget and voted unanimously to approve multiple consent items, including the tentative general fund and federal fund budgets.

Business Services presenter Mr. Adams told the board the district’s continuation budget is $119,500,000 and that tentative FY27 expenditures are projected at about $122,400,000, driven in part by state-mandated increases in health insurance and retirement contributions. He said the presentation assumes roughly 3% growth in the local tax digest and notes a proposed full rollback millage of 13.813 mills to maintain revenue neutrality.

Mr. Adams highlighted several line items and tradeoffs in the plan: a net reduction of 14 employees in the operating budget (described as achieved primarily through attrition), a $436,000 reduction in the SRO program budget, a proposed 2% general salary improvement for staff (funded at roughly $399,000), and a projected school nutrition revenue shortfall of about $250,000. To help address that gap, the district plans a combination of menu adjustments and a 25% increase in meal prices, which officials said would not fully offset the shortfall but is intended to reduce the deficit while limiting the burden on families.

The Business Services report also noted that ad valorem tax collections were at 99.5% for April and 93.1% year-to-date, that the district paid 482 vendors about $2,600,000 in April, and that the district’s total estimated fund balance at the fiscal year end was presented at $544,600,000, with an estimated unassigned fund balance of $30,900,000 as of 06/30/27.

On the state funding context, the board viewed a video summary of the Quality Basic Education (QBE) Act and heard that rising local fair share calculations have increased Oconee County’s local fair share by about $6,600,000 over the last eight years; Mr. Adams said the FY27 tentative budget includes a $730,000 increase in state local fair share withholdings.

Board members asked for clarifications about whether SRO reductions would eliminate officers (Mr. Adams said they would not and that reductions were arranged in partnership with the sheriff’s office and county commissioners), when the insurance increase takes effect (Mr. Adams said July 1), and about web posting of audits and the QBE materials (to be posted to the district web page).

Votes at a glance
- Tentative FY27 general fund budget (recommendation to adopt with tentative full rollback millage rate 13.813 mills): motion moved and seconded; approved 5–0.
- Tentative FY27 federal funds budget: approved 5–0.
- Rocky Branch Elementary water heaters: award to Ferguson Enterprises LLC, $27,300 (covered under OMNIA contract no. 2138): approved 5–0.
- Bus GPS system: award to Pathwise, $64,921 (sole source): approved 5–0.
- Out-of-town field trips (Oconee County High girls basketball to Spartanburg, FBLA trips to San Antonio for several schools): approved 5–0.

The superintendent and Business Services staff said the tentative figures allow the district to meet fiscal obligations while seeking efficiencies and protecting core services; the presentation emphasized that some reductions are driven by enrollment declines and mandated state cost increases. Next steps include advertised budget hearings scheduled for May 21 and May 28 in the Board Meeting Room and further refinements before final adoption.

"These adjustments reflect intentional decision making to protect core services while improving efficiencies," Mr. Adams said. "We're very proud of the team's diligence through the audit process and the work to present a balanced tentative budget."

The board approved the items on the agenda by roll call; each action was unanimous. The meeting adjourned to executive session after the formal actions.