The WJCC School Board is expected to vote on whether to commit a year-end fund balance from fiscal year 2026 to a healthcare reserve fund. Both James City County and the City of Williamsburg have expressed support for directing the remaining year-end balance of $5.3 million to strengthen the division’s ability to manage future healthcare cost obligations. According to a recent presentation given to the board by the system’s Chief Financial Officer, Rene Ewing, the recommendation to fund healthcare reserves aims to build financial capacity and address long-term expenditures.
Virginia Code requires school boards to take formal action to commit or assign unexpended funds from one fiscal year to the next for a specific purpose. Historically, the school division allocated 90 percent of the money to a future school use account, with the remaining 10 percent returned to the localities based on their respective funding shares. During fiscal year 2026, James City County returned a portion of the School Division’s fiscal year 2025 fund balance to establish a healthcare reserve fund.
Preliminary financial results show the division ended fiscal year 2026 with approximately $5.3 million in remaining funds, representing roughly 2.8 percent of the annual budget. The year-end surplus comprises two primary components: $1.1 million in revenue exceeding the adopted budget and $4.2 million in expenditure savings, with salary and benefit savings from staff vacancies and normal turnover accounting for approximately $3.1 million of the total savings.
Keep reading for a detailed review of the meeting, including YouTube links to key moments …
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