GALT, CA (MPG) - The Galt Joint Union High School District Board of Trustees said goodbye to outgoing Superintendent Lisa Pettis at its June 20 regular meeting, the last meeting before she retires on June 30.

“I just want to thank the board. It has been a wonderful eight years in this district and I have learned a lot,” Pettis said during her report to the board. She first came to Galt to serve as the district’s director of educational options. In 2021, she was appointed as superintendent.

Starting July 1, Anna Trunnell, who is superintendent of Santa Rosa City Schools, will take over as superintendent of the Galt high school district.

During Pettis’ remarks, she also thanked Educational Services director Sean Duncan, who is leaving the district after nearly 20 years to work at Sacramento County Office of Education.

“I really want to thank Mr. Duncan for his continued work on our LCAP (Local Control and Accountability Plan),” Pettis said, referring to the state-mandated document that explains how the district plans to meet its educational goals.

“LCAP is not a fun job but Mr. Duncan has always remained professional and has been positive about the LCAP, even though we give him a really, really hard time about it,” Pettis continued. “But I want to thank you because I know it’s a thankless job to do an LCAP.”

The trustees applauded Duncan’s contributions to the district, as well as his dependability and ability to explain district actions.

Trustee Melissa Neuburger commended Pettis’ service.

“Lisa, it’s been such a privilege and an honor to work with you as the board president, and you being the superintendent was a nice role to really learn together on. You’ve done a lot of great things for our district,” Neuburger said.

Trustee Patrick Maple said he thinks of Pettis much like a daughter, continuing that, when she started with the district, he “just saw an honest person” and that he never doubted what she said. 

Pettis and Duncan’s dedication to the district stood out for Trustee Dennis Richardson.

“We’ve seen so many people coming and going, and one of the things that … we really appreciated was the people who stuck around,” Richardson said. “Longevity, you know, commitment to the district and not always looking for a way out the door. I think the community appreciates that, too. … Both of you have demonstrated commitment to this community, to the children here and families.”

The board unanimously approved the budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25, as well as contracts with employee unions.

Major elements of the employee contracts include a 3.5% salary increase for certificated, classified and unrepresented employees, and a one-time payment of $500 for each employee. The district’s health and welfare contributions will also increase.

Classified members of the Galt Federation of Classified and Certificated Employees who travel between sites “on a regular basis” will receive a flat $2,100 stipend instead of filing for reimbursement based on mileage. Chief Business Official Douglas Crancer said certificated union members already have this benefit.

In presenting the budget, district staff noted that the state is confronting a budget shortfall of $27.6 billion. 

While Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he wants to protect schools from ongoing funding cuts, he has proposed cutting come one-time funds to balance the state budget.

For 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27, the district projects deficit spending in the General Fund by about $140,000, $550,000 and $840,000, respectively. The figures do not incorporate the new union agreements.

Despite the deficit spending, staff expressed confidence that the district could continue to meet its financial obligations.

“Administration is confident that the district will be able to maintain prudent operating reserves and have the necessary cash in order to ensure that the district remains fiscally solvent,” a staff report read.