Board approves motion to continue publishing five-year forecast despite state requirement change

The Westerville City Schools Board of Education voted on Sept. 8 to continue preparing and sharing a five-year financial forecast for district planning even though the current state budget language requires districts to submit the current-year budget plus three additional years.

Treasurer Marshall explained the state budget bill changed the submission requirement so districts must file the current year plus three years, but the district uses a five-year projection as a planning tool for long-term contracts and transparency. "Specifically the new language requires the current year budget plus 3 additional years. So our current forecast has the current year budget plus 4 additional years... I feel... it's prudent to continue to have that long term planning tool," Marshall said.

A motion to approve the resolution to continue the five-year forecast was moved and seconded; the roll-call vote recorded board members voting yes (transcript recorded affirmative responses by Missus Altman, Mister Ackerman, Missus Leban and Missus Meyer). The board chair announced the motion passed.

Why this matters: by continuing a five-year forecast the district retains a longer planning horizon for contracts and budgeting transparency even though the state submission requirement is shorter. There were no penalties cited for preparing the additional year beyond the state's filing requirement.

Action taken: motion approved to continue five-year forecast reporting; no changes to state filing requirements were made.