[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6464669,"mediaKeyId","5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388","parentId",5782988,"title","Audit & Finance Committee sets calendar, defers chair nomination and approves minutes","audioSeconds",438,"startMs",2100000,"endMs",2538000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388&start=2100&end=2538","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388/thumbnail_2100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6464669/New-York/Audit-Finance-Committee-sets-calendar-defers-chair-nomination-and-approves-minutes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464669-629f1b39aad1f1e28c63b24a1a986e24/orig.mp4?Expires=1777300508&Signature=mtw8xgADvffxHsEYok94aiC~~TR~ksjQJHyeS~J06al7VbSV6sOpXfc70yv2uxW0IvQ9VXg5w~WSOyqL13oEhAxt9k0-eGYZkIosJbk4PB3VcNo7N7jG--IAeqsm1uRg9UPnRkaYs0rRNZaIzGbkB7nXCO7SkE4v7jlfqjYIlzLqM0fC-mrUgvsFbqubXgDQI4r-N5g1o60HNGtGuajgMAyGkaqdF38uGBNA2a8B4SiZeePgNmWl1YkfiWxHQwd6J98VxS0Oxdm~XdJuAlqYyoJqG4rfElZK72cC~4ZKGibYihw-Jd3M7rup7ksgJYd3vny24GkA4vAvnUpWPKafoA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","NISKAYUNA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT","date","2025-09-13T01:13:09.643Z","article","The audit and finance committee for the Niskayuna Central School District discussed committee governance items, including a draft charter, a year‑long work plan and meeting scheduling. The committee circulated a merged charter that combines prior finance and audit committee language and will return the document to the committee for edits before recommending adoption by the full board in October.

Members agreed to tentatively schedule longer, 90‑minute meetings in January and March to accommodate budget work and audit reports. The committee also noted the December 12 meeting as the scheduled date to discuss the results of the independent audit.

The committee tabled a nomination for committee chair until the three primary committee members can meet in person; the chair selection will be revisited at the next meeting. The committee approved minutes for the May 16 finance committee meeting and the June 13 audit committee meeting by voice vote; the transcript records moved and seconded motions and voice approvals but does not record individual roll‑call votes.

The meeting closed after routine adjournment motions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Niskayuna CSD Audit & Finance Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Niskayuna audit and finance committee circulated a draft charter and work plan for the year, agreed on tentative longer meetings in January and March, tabled the chair nomination until more members can attend and approved minutes from May and June by voice vote.","taxTitle","NISKAYUNA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",56859,"location","New York","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6464674,"Niskayuna reports preliminary 2024‑25 year‑end with reserves increased for capital projects",768,975000,1743000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388&start=975&end=1743","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388/thumbnail_975000.jpg","/articles/6464674/New-York/Niskayuna-reports-preliminary-202425-yearend-with-reserves-increased-for-capital-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464674-97aad5b75175241bb51c55adf54f45a2/orig.mp4?Expires=1777300508&Signature=kH8pFN1u1F3HOH0YFacaslF5Go0j7mqdunQtPu~9SU~WaUbvtq3ASvap-ovqHTBIXOs9T7rrjSOpKIxmICUHhBtxhl-Bq4uNH043-q1JOTDyRA6KI6RJGzftUPkq2lf0aoV7N016WLHysOH6beMqcWZvbLlrhDURHV~ZR87IBS9o49im1KGvkaZnS3TCwpDh9by576ujwNyn28bAiVJUOQ~9PQrMnlYIwfo4Y--GeXpDKs~9AjJWtS4HoxJjjU6djEwEXALllpqSUWugwthypRrJCaB5wjhAShIevabRL6qLYAYHIoyFm1rDh~pYf~bdeb~6wqZmGQf-PYw2BPT-Gw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","District finance staff presented a preliminary year‑end summary for 2024‑25 to the Niskayuna Central School District audit and finance committee, reporting a positive close with actions to preserve fund balance and increase capital reserves.

The presenter said the district is maintaining the permitted 4% unassigned fund balance and has increased the capital reserve by about $1,010,000 as the books are closed. The presenter told the committee that actual expenditures were roughly $110,300,000 and actual revenues about $109,500,000, noting that comparison of top‑line figures can be misleading because the expenditures include approximately $2,400,000 carried over from the prior year and the revenue figure does not reflect the $2,500,000 previously assigned in fund balance for the 2025‑26 budget.

Staff reported specific variances: salaries were about $230,000 under budget and benefits came in about $266,000 under budget, though staff cautioned that late‑year medical claims caused tighter margins on benefits than in prior years. BOCES charges showed a favorable variance that staff said warrants further review of budget assumptions for BOCES services.

Debt service included a large accounting entry related to multi‑year installment purchases for technology through BOCES. Staff said auditors advised the district to recognize those lease‑type installment purchases in the general fund (per GASB 87), which offset a proceeds‑of‑lease line item and net to approximately zero in the annual results.

Officials also reported that carryover encumbrances decreased from about $2,400,000 to roughly $1,250,000 for the current year and that the tax certiorari reserve decreased by about $830,000 as a result of settlements and claim adjustments. Staff said the $8,000,000 capital reserve set aside for the 2024 referendum projects had already been earmarked and is not part of the newly available capacity. The presenter said the district expects to begin longer‑range debt and building‑aid planning with Fiscal Advisors (Ben Maslow) at a future committee meeting.

The committee did not take a formal vote on allocations in this meeting; staff said the preliminary figures will go to the full board on Tuesday for further consideration.","District staff told the audit and finance committee the preliminary 2024‑25 close shows the district maintaining a 4% unassigned fund balance, a reduction in carryover encumbrances and an additional allocation to the capital reserve of about $1.01 million.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6464679,"Niskayuna taps Questar 3 BOCES for internal audit work; committee recommends fixed‑assets review for 2024‑25",218,61000,279000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388&start=61&end=279","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5782988-3859bf6fa3ae6fcc68af7bd43a343388/thumbnail_61000.jpg","/articles/6464679/New-York/Niskayuna-taps-Questar-3-BOCES-for-internal-audit-work-committee-recommends-fixedassets-review-for-202425","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6464679-b99032929c87e010690f3adf86e92aab/orig.mp4?Expires=1777300508&Signature=HlklG1XVHcBWfMExviVjpl7XAVdJjME3cEcV5l6BBK4M3dwp48GFsEyc35RBkL0hn9s3HDZxViAvx34e7U8EIJ-mJsiRPwjI6842bfLJcTzCrZAoFG8LJA8gFtRmS9cnbvGVO6GB-HlX2KCht0gslq03XMqn9Hfqn42~NoSIFnFPd-2~9F4023DVmuZaJtHTrCKlr8BP6UD-Zm2zkRaLXE-oHKXWu235UceUNi9RkQsw~U1utMJQqtxS7uleOKc5Ud3qRfgalZqF88i6LgyMDG08hrrW5r17TSnvxZMVGCKEJMIkyq~tWq7gOFXQmw0Nxg~g8EwdGmsd22eL2P4DDw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Niskayuna Central School District’s audit and finance committee heard from Mark Bodette, audit manager for Questar 3 BOCES, on plans to complete the district’s internal audit for the 2024‑25 school year and to begin planning for 2025‑26.

The district administration said the board appointed Questar 3 BOCES as the district’s internal auditor in August. Mark Bodette told the committee, “I plan to begin that pretty much after I walk out of this meeting,” and said he will personally perform the 2024‑25 field work next week. He described the internal audit program as having two elements: an annual risk assessment and a year‑specific focus area. Bodette said the risk assessment will likely take place in winter and the committee will select the 2025‑26 focus area in the spring.

The committee recommended that the 2024‑25 audit focus on fixed assets. The district noted previous revisions to the fixed‑assets policy, which raised the capitalization threshold to $5,000. Officials told the committee that the district has not performed a districtwide physical inventory in some time and that the business office is rebuilding procedures for tracking assets. The recommendation reflects those factors and the expectation that the audit will produce best‑practice recommendations for inventory and procedure updates.

Questar 3 described its staffing and approach. Bodette said his internal‑audit team is four people and that his unit also can draw on Questar 3 financial services such as state aid planning, BOCES reimbursement services and GASB assistance. He said audit sampling will be drawn from the fixed‑asset records the district maintains for financial reporting and that if most assets in that system are IT devices, the sample will reflect that distribution unless the committee specifically instructs otherwise: “If 60% of your assets are IT assets, I’m going to pick 60% of my sample,” Bodette said. He added that Chromebooks and other items under the capitalization threshold may not be included in the financial‑reporting system and therefore may not appear in the random sample.

Committee members discussed whether IT should be treated separately. Members said IT can be a large category and can be easier to locate due to device management tools; Bodette said he can include IT in a general fixed‑assets audit or exclude it if the committee requests. The committee did not move to formally exclude IT and left the recommendation as a districtwide fixed‑assets review that can include IT devices present in the district’s reporting system.

The committee chair said the audit firm and district staff will coordinate on a schedule to deliver the risk assessment and audits over the coming year so the committee can review reports in regularly scheduled meetings.","The Niskayuna Central School District audit and finance committee confirmed Questar 3 BOCES as the district’s internal auditor and recommended a fixed‑assets audit for the 2024‑25 year, with the firm to begin work immediately on a prior-year review and to perform a risk assessment this winter for 2025‑26 planning.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Audit & Finance Committee sets calendar, defers chair nomination and approves minutes

Niskayuna reports preliminary 2024‑25 year‑end with reserves increased for capital projects

Niskayuna taps Questar 3 BOCES for internal audit work; committee recommends fixed‑assets review for 2024‑25