Board approves Hill Consultants contract after state recommended technical assistance; members and public raise timing questions

Winston-Salem ' The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education on May 13 approved a financial consulting contract with Hill Consultants to help reconcile current-year overages and advise on budget adjustments before June 30.

The State Board of Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction recommended the district obtain technical assistance after the state identified overspending in state allotments. Superintendent Tricia McManus said Hill Consultants arrived in late April to review district financial records and began work under the superintendent's limited spending authority ($25,000) because of urgency tied to the fiscal year end; the full contract for about $48,000 was placed on the board agenda for formal approval.

That sequence prompted questions from board members and members of the public about timing and notice. Resident Allen Daniel asked, "Who approved the contract for the financial consultant and when?" and noted press reports that early consultant findings had revised the district deficit estimate. Board member Lauren Miller asked whether the board should have approved the arrangement before consultants began; McManus said she consulted with legal counsel and the board chair and vice chair and that the initial work was authorized as permitted under superintendent authority to begin unbudgeted technical assistance quickly.

Board members stressed the need for subject-matter expertise. Vice Chair Alex Bohannon and others said Hill Consultants bring long experience with North Carolina school finance and DPI relationships. The contract authorizes work through June 30 focused on identifying overages in the current year and recommending savings to balance FY26.

Board action

The board voted to approve the full Hill Consultants contract (motion by Board member Barr; second by Board member Crowley). The contract was approved by recorded vote (motion passes 8'to'1).

Discussion vs. decision

Discussion: Public and board questions centered on when consultants started work relative to the board's formal approval, what initial findings showed about the deficit size, and how the district will pay for consulting services.

Direction: The superintendent and CFO were directed to continue working with consultants and to provide board members with more detailed, monthly budget-to-actual reports.

Decision: The board approved the Hill Consultants contract for up to $48,000 to assist with technical reconciliation and savings identification.

Clarifying details

- Contract amount discussed on the agenda: approximately $48,000 for April through June work; district said savings identified by the consultants were expected to help pay for the contract. - Consultants began on site in late April at DPI's request; the superintendent said she sought legal advice and used superintendent authority to begin work under the $25,000 threshold before placing the full contract for board approval. - Public questions asked whether the board had been notified and when the consultant reported a revised deficit estimate; district leaders said they notified the chair and vice chair and subsequently provided the scope to the full board before the meeting.

Proper names

[{"name":"Hill Consultants","type":"business"},{"name":"Department of Public Instruction","type":"agency"},{"name":"State Board of Education","type":"agency"},{"name":"Tricia McManus","type":"person"}]

Speakers

[{"name":"Tricia McManus","role_title":"Superintendent","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools"},{"name":"Alex Bohannon","role_title":"Vice Chair","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education"},{"name":"Lauren Miller","role_title":"Board member","affiliation_type":"government","affiliation_name":"Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education"},{"name":"Allen Daniel","role_title":"Resident","affiliation_type":"citizen","affiliation_name":""}]

Authorities

[{"type":"other","name":"Department of Public Instruction recommendation for technical assistance","referenced_by":["Tricia McManus"]},{"type":"other","name":"State Board of Education technical assistance requirement","referenced_by":["Tricia McManus"]}]

Searchable tags

["Hill Consultants","procurement","consultant","DPI","overspending","technical assistance"]

Provenance

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