Board Approves $190,000 Transfer from Working Cash Fund Amid Dissent

Mokena School District 159 Meeting | November 19, 2025

Article Summary: The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education approved a resolution to abate $190,000 from its working cash fund to support capital projects and maintenance operations. The measure passed in a 6-1 vote following a discussion where one board member questioned the necessity of the transfer.

Working Cash Abatement Key Points:

• Total Abatement: $190,000 from the Fund 70 Working Cash fund.

• Fund 20 (Operations & Maintenance): Will receive $90,000.

• Fund 21 (O&M Referendum Fund): Will receive $100,000.

• Vote: The resolution passed 6-1, with Trustee Kelli MacMillan voting against it.

MOKENA, IL – The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, approved a $190,000 transfer from its working cash reserves to fund operational and capital needs. The resolution passed 6-1, with Trustee Kelli MacMillan casting the dissenting vote.

The abatement will move $90,000 into the Operations and Maintenance fund (Fund 20) and $100,000 into the O&M Referendum Fund (Fund 21). According to a memo from Dr. Teri Shaw, Chief School Business Official, the transfer supports projects and operational expenses approved in the budget adoption process.

During the discussion, MacMillan expressed concern over the transfer, questioning why the district needed to pull from its reserves when the combined O&M funds already contain nearly $5 million.

“The question is, why is that necessary? Why do we need $190,000 more than the $4.9 million we already have?” MacMillan asked. She argued that if projects like the new $180,000 storage shed at the junior high were postponed, the transfer would be unnecessary and the funds could instead be used to help offset the district’s $800,000 deficit in the education fund. “I don’t understand why we’re prioritizing transferring money out of our reserves into the O&M fund,” she added.

Dr. Shaw responded that the abatement supports projects that have already been undertaken this year as well as general operations.

The board ultimately approved the resolution. This is one of several planned working cash abatements for the budget year; transfers to the Education and IMRF/SS funds are scheduled for consideration at the December and January meetings, respectively.