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The two schools are the final projects in a list of those undertaken by the board after voters approved a $87.5 million bond in August 2020 to fund several new constructions and renovations.

In 2024, two of the four new constructions funded by the bond, Davis Creek Elementary School and Milton Elementary School, were completed, each by using additional monies from the general fund set aside for technology and furniture.

The Woody Williams Center and Meadows Elementary constructions are no different, according to RottgenÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s data. The Woody Williams Center is underfunded by original calculations by more than $153,043, and Meadows is underfunded by $80,000.

The Meadows Elementary construction was also given a $12.5 million grant from the School Building Authority to supplement the bond funding.

Rottgen said several of the items on the budgets have not yet materialized while the buildings are still under construction, so the final costs are still estimates at this point. He said overages on past projects also included some additional furniture requested by staff after the buildings were complete.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThere may not be ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥¦ real concrete numbers yet. ThatÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s our best guess at this point,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Rottgen said after the meeting. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe believe that there will need to be some additional funding from the general fund, so weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re just trying to be upfront.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

But Rottgen said in budgeting for current fiscal years 2025 and upcoming FY 2026, which starts July 1, he is already taking those potential costs into account for the general fund to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œmake sure that we are able to fully fund those projects.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Rottgen recalled the Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan Steering Committee which originally drafted the 10-year facilities plan in 2020 required by the state to identify the highest needs for the county. Shortly afterward, he said, the board determined it wanted to ask voters for a school bond to build the projects.

He said some cost estimates the board received from its architect team showed it would have been less fiscally responsible to continue repairing some of the older facilities listed in the plan. But the committeeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s report also indicated many of the original buildings, like the former Milton Elementary, were not ADA-compliant.

Deputy Superintendent Justin Boggs said the projected substantial completion date for the new Meadows Elementary is in fall 2025, and the Woody Williams Center is estimated to be substantially complete around fall or winter 2026.

In other business, Rottgen said he is no longer worried about tax collections covering the boardÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s budget for FY 2025.

In January 2024, Rottgen noted during an early budget workshop meeting funding from property taxes collected were the lowest they had been in the past decade during that time of the year, at around 2.5% or almost $1.5 million less than projected. Now, he said, that number is less than 1%, or about 0.92% under expected collections.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYes, that is a fairly large amount of money, but that being said, usually, if weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re only off by about a percent at this point ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥¦ itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s going to make itself up,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� he told the board.

Staffing, enrollment expectations

Rottgen also told the board that for FY 2025, he has estimated there are nearly 133 professional and 140 service personnel positions over the amount state funding will pay for. He roughly estimated this would cost the board a combined total of over $15 million.

State funding for personnel is determined by a formula that takes into account student headcount enrollment.

And enrollment is still decreasing in Cabell County.

Since the 2014-15 school year, student headcount enrollment has decreased every year, leading to a difference of more than 2,000 students by the 2024-25 school year, or a loss of nearly 15%.

And the number of personnel employed has increased.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIf we lost 25 students in one year, we would most likely be funded for one professional employee less,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Superintendent Tim Hardesty said following MondayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s meeting. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWhere do you count a person? Because those 25 kids may be from 18 different schools, and so we get less funding, but we still have to provide the same services.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Hardesty also pointed out to the board there has been some growth in elementary school personnel, partially from hiring early childhood classroom assistant teachers (ECCATs) and additional special education positions required to meet student needs.

Rottgen also voiced his concerns about increases in PEIA premiums for teachers, which he said may also apply to employers.

Rottgen pointed out the board would be able to carry over an estimated $30.5 million in unrestricted general funds into FY 2026, which he hopes will help. But administrators are also assessing costs and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œlooking at things like that to where there is as little to no impact on the student at the end of the day,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Hardesty said.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s evident that weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to have to make some adjustments as we move forward to make sure that Cabell County stays on a solid footing as we move into the future,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Hardesty told the board.

Typically, personnel positions over state funding are paid for through the boardÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s excess levy, Rottgen said.

And while Rottgen predicted a continued decrease in total and unrestricted state aid for Cabell County Schools, he predicted an increase in funding for charter schools.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIt does appear that ... Cabell County residents have enrolled in charter schools, and so, because there has been an increase, a portion of our state aid will, we wonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t be receiving it. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll be diverted to charter school programs in the state,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Rottgen said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œYou can see that based on current estimates, right now, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a little over a million dollars next year that we wonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t have to use here in the district because itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll end up going somewhere else.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Rottgen also noted Hope Scholarship enrollment and additional school choice options continue to impact public school enrollment for Cabell County and its state aid.

A report published by the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy in May showed 53 of the stateÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 55 school districts experienced enrollment loss between the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. The analysis found, statewide, about 51.9% of enrollment decline was attributable to the Hope Scholarship.

The Hope Scholarship was announced to become available for all eligible school-age children for the 2026-27 academic year in July 2024.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWe want to make sure that weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re doing certain things to the best of our ability. We want to make sure that we provide a good product for our families. And so as we make decisions, we want to do all the right things that make us an (attractive) option for families,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Rottgen said.