The Ouray School Board passed a budget without step increases to staff salary on Monday after lengthy deliberation during that meeting as well as a meeting June 25 on how to balance budget shortfalls on one side with surpluses on another.

The district has a deficit of $180,000, but has received $263,000 in CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act fundi ng from the federal government. However, there are strict requirements on what the CARES Act funds can go to. The money can only...