The Juneau School District’s director of administrative services, who oversees the district’s budget, has resigned. On Friday, the school board authorized spending up to $50,000 on contract work for the district’s upcoming budget cycle.
Cassee Olin had held the role since 2021. Before that, she worked as the Sitka School District’s business manager. Her resignation was effective Dec. 1, according to a school district report. Olin declined to comment on her decision to resign.
Last month, an audit of the district showed it ended the previous fiscal year with an almost $2 million deficit in its operating fund. Lower-than-expected enrollment has grown that deficit to nearly $3 million.
Budget revisions to address that deficit could include hiring freezes for certain positions, Superintendent Frank Hauser said Friday.
The district is now seeking a contractor to help revise this year’s budget and develop next year’s. Will Muldoon, who chairs the school board’s finance committee, estimates that the district will be facing a $7 million shortfall as COVID relief and one-time state funding ends.
The district is also seeking a new administrative services director. Hauser told the board that the new hire would work with the contractor on next year’s budget.
“The plan is that they’ll be working hand in hand on the budget development process, kind of onboarding the new director of administrative services,” he said. “The contractor will have a more solid understanding of our budget, having worked with it probably a month to two months more.”
Hauser said other district directors and the chief of staff will take on the role’s other duties in the meantime.
