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Northumberland schools project $1.03 million shortfall; finance chief urges transfers, board hears calls to keep top administrator
Summary
School division finance staff told the Board of Supervisors that projected expenditures and late invoices could leave the school division more than $1 million short by June 30; officials discussed category transfers, a possible engagement of external auditors, and public pleas urging the division to retain Dr. Leslie.
Dr. Leslie, speaking for Northumberland County Schools, told the Board of Supervisors on the evening of the May meeting that the division’s current projections show a deficit of approximately $1,031,000 for fiscal year 2025 and that several categorical accounts were running negative and need reconciliation.
The superintendent-level official walked supervisors through month-by-month projections and explained that May and June payroll patterns — including an extra June payroll for 10½- and 11-month employees — and several unplanned invoices pushed the fund 1 projection into the red. "I don't wanna continue to rob Peter to pay Paul," Dr. Leslie said, describing the staff's effort to prepare a single set of transfers that would cover expected shortfalls rather than seeking repeated fixes.
Why it matters: If the county does not authorize transfers or advance funds, the school division faces cash-flow problems that could hinder paying payroll or other…
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