Board of Education Finance Committee Meeting
February 19, 2026
Finance Committee Meeting Minutes-Approved (03-02-2026)

Meeting Location:
144 N. Binkley Street
Soldotna Alaska, 99669

1. Board Finance Committee

A. Call to Order

Chair Douthit called the meeting to order at 12:36 p.m.

B. Roll Call

Committee Members Present:
Sarah Douthit, Board Member, Chair
Kelley Cizek, Board Member
Mica Vanbuskirk, Board Member
Czarina Voivedich, Finance Director
A quorum was established.
Other Board Members Present were:
President Tauriainen
Board Member Vadla
Vice President Daugharty
Board Member Truesdell
Board Member MacRae
Others present were:
Superintendent Holland
Assistant Superintendent Dendurent
Human Resources Director Crabtree
Information Services Director Soderquist
Elementary & Secondary Director Graham

C. Approval of Agenda

The February 19, 2026 finance committee meeting agenda was approved by committee as presented.

D. Approval of Minutes

The February 2, 2026 finance committee meeting notes were approved by committee as presented.

2. Finance Ongoing Business

A. FY27 Preliminary Budget

Chair Douthit opened the discussion to committee members and continued reviewing the FY27 Preliminary Budget, beginning the discussion of FY27 Budget Scenarios. Superintendent Holland informed the committee that the Balancing Act input should be prepared for the next Finance Committee meeting and the work sessions scheduled for March 2nd. Chair Douthit requested committee input on the laydown item presented with the scenarios. Member VanBuskirk suggested potential savings from Board of Education 10% operating accounts, technology accounts, and communication specialist costs. President Tauriainen asked a question regarding the scenarios with adjusted State and Borough funding. Chair Douthit, with assistance from Director Voivedich, clarified that the scenarios were based on different KPB funding levels. President Tauriainen recommended including a column without adjusted true value. Superintendent Holland advised reviewing the three scenarios in detail and encouraged the committee to start advising on potential expenditure reductions. Member Cizek discussed the funding formula and local contributions. Chair Douthit requested any administration recommendations related to reductions. Member VanBuskirk opposed cuts to Distance Education. Member Cizek supported a 50% reduction in Distance Education. Chair Douthit requested input from Administration regarding Elementary Specialists. Superintendent Holland provided examples of these positions. Chair Douthit asked if certified staff could fill specialist positions. Assistant Superintendent Dendurent clarified that it could be possible, but the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) would need to be considered. The committee agreed to leave Elementary Specialists off the reductions list at this time. Chair Douthit moved discussion to Programmatic Staffing. Member VanBuskirk supported further discussion for potential reductions. President Tauriainen requested clarification from Administration regarding how cuts would affect schools and which would be impacted most. Director Crabtree provided clarifications. Following this, Member Cizek supported including Programmatic Staffing and Elementary Specialists in reductions. Chair Douthit requested adding Programmatic Staffing to the reduction list. Chair Douthit asked about the district’s obligations regarding Interventionists. Assistant Superintendent Dendurent noted the Alaska Reads Act requirements mandating intervention services. Chair Douthit also requested clarification regarding Title I funding. Director Crabtree provided information regarding Title I requirements. Member VanBuskirk requested discussion of the bottom half of the scenario line items, noting they are less related to classroom staffing. Chair Douthit proposed a +1 PTR for those items, then moving to the bottom and revisiting some reductions. President Tauriainen agreed with this approach. Member VanBuskirk suggested including Theater Techs in reductions. Member Cizek opposed eliminating Theater Techs and favored reduction rather than elimination. Chair Douthit opted not to reduce Theater Techs. The committee agreed to proceed with reductions in custodians, library aides, and secretaries’ work calendars, while leaving Theater Techs off the reduction list. Superintendent Holland spoke regarding strategies to keep libraries open despite reductions. Lines were added to the reductions list for secretaries, custodians, and theater techs. Chair Douthit requested clarification on English Language Learners (ELL) services. Assistant Superintendent Dendurent clarified that the District is required to provide ELL services. Chair Douthit asked if reductions were possible, but Assistant Superintendent Dendurent indicated further research was needed. Member Cizek requested data on the number of students requiring ELL services, and Assistant Superintendent Dendurent provided details on service utilization. Chair Douthit sought committee input on extracurricular stipends. Member Cizek supported a 50% reduction. President Tauriainen proposed reducing sports programs rather than stipends and opposed last year’s approach. The committee agreed to leave stipends off the reduction list for now. Superintendent Holland provided additional context on extracurricular stipends. The committee agreed to reduce District Office Operating Accounts, Salaries, and Benefits. Assistant Superintendent Dendurent noted that the District is in the middle of curriculum adoption. Director Soderquist clarified details regarding the technology plan. The committee agreed to, Reduce curriculum by 50%, Reduce school site supplies by 10%, Include pool closures in reductions. Chair Douthit requested committee member input regarding school consolidations. Member VanBuskirk expressed support for consolidating a school in each region. Assistant Superintendent provided clarification on Paul Banks, Fireweed, and West Homer school locations. Superintendent Holland provided details regarding the Fireweed MOA. Member Cizek opposed adding new school closures to the reductions list. Chair Douthit discussed adding River City Academy (RCA) and requested Administration’s input. Superintendent Holland provided clarification regarding RCA. Member VanBuskirk recommended consideration of Paul Banks, RCA, Seward Middle, and possibly Tustumena and Sterling for consolidation. Member Cizek recommended Seward Middle, RCA, and Paul Banks, with Tustumena for next year. The committee requested further information regarding Paul Banks closure and Fireweed relocation. Member VanBuskirk noted that the second column and KPB funding adjustments made the scenarios easier to work with. Chair Douthit encouraged public and stakeholder input through the Balancing Act. Superintendent Holland thanked the committee for guidance and will work toward the next Finance Committee meeting and work sessions with the committee's input. Chair Douthit requested Administration to refine potential scenarios discussed by the committee. Member VanBuskirk inquired about the timeline for voting on school consolidations. President Tauriainen clarified the budget timeline and Superintendent Holland provided clarification regarding transmission of the budget to the Borough.

3. Information Requests to Administration

A. Information Requests to Administration

There were no further requests for information from the committee at this time.

4. Adjourn

A. Adjourn

Chair Douthit adjourned the meeting at 2:13 p.m.