For the Wasatch County School District Board of Education, 2023 began with the same group as the past two years, only with a new vice president.
Tom Hansen will continue as board president. He represents the Midway district and has two more years in his term.
The votes in support of Hansen were unanimous at a meeting Thursday. Only Hansen voted against himself, which drew laughter from many in the room. He said he was joking and didn’t have a valid vote to cast for that decision anyway.
For the next two years, Cory Holmes will be vice president. He began his second term this year after cruising to reelection in November over a write-in candidate to represent the Heber North district.
Board members confirmed his nomination with a unanimous vote as well.
He takes over the role from former Vice President Tyler Bluth, who also won the Heber South seat back over a write-in candidate in 2022.
The current terms for Holmes and Bluth each last through 2026.
Also on the board, Marianne Allen has two more years to represent southern Wasatch County, and Kim Dickerson has two more years in her County East district seat.
The board also heard a report of a financial audit of the school district during fiscal year 2022, which ended in June. The report is dated November 20, 2022.
Paul Skeen of Eide Bailey LLP in Salt Lake City called it a “boring report,” adding that “a boring audit report is a good audit report.”
Total revenue for the year was $130 million, up from $116 million the year before. 60% of school funds, or about $77 million, came from local property taxes, which is up from $72 million in fiscal year 2021. About a third of the budget came from the state. That was about $42 million, up from $38 million in 2021.
The school district spent 87% of the budget on salaries and benefits. The report notes the Board of Education has focused efforts to retain and attract the best teachers possible with competitive wage and benefit packages.
A link to a full recording of the meeting is available on the district’s YouTube Channel.
