Northumberland schools project $1.03 million shortfall; finance chief urges transfers, board hears calls to keep top administrator

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 obligations before federal and state reimbursements arrive. Dr. Leslie asked the supervisors to approve transfers to zero out three negative federal and special-appropriation lines and to allow a larger, consolidated transfer to cover technology and instruction shortfalls.

Key details from the school's presentation: the presenter reported a working balance line showing a shortfall of $298,917 before additional unanticipated obligations were added; after including month-13 (late June) invoices the overall projection rose to the roughly $1,031,000 deficit. The division had previously requested a $50,000 transfer to technology that Dr. Leslie said would not cover the following month's payroll.

Discussion, next steps and staffing: Dr. Leslie told the board she had asked county staff about engaging UHY (an outside firm) to assist with financial review and reconciliation; that request was said to be part of closed-meeting discussion (the item was placed under closed session). Dr. Leslie also said she and school staff had compiled outstanding invoices and were using two years of spending patterns to estimate remaining needs.

Public response and leadership concerns: Several elected officials and residents urged the county and school boards to retain Dr. Leslie. A speaker identified in the transcript as a member of the public said the school board had "failed Dr. Leslie" and urged citizens to contact school board members to keep her. Another public commenter, Dr. Tyrone Williams, recommended a methodical review and urged collaboration and oversight rather than removing elected school board authority. "We should strive to correct what has been done and find a way to work collaboratively and honestly to resolve the problem," Williams said.

What the board did: The supervisors did not vote on the school transfer requests during the open session; Dr. Leslie said the division needs at least one immediate transfer to cover technology payroll. The request to engage UHY was identified as closed-meeting material and was not decided in open session the same night.

Background and context: Dr. Leslie said reconciliation problems stemmed in part from federal and special-appropriation lines that had expenses posted without corresponding revenues, and that monthly reconciliation and clearer procedures are needed to avoid repeat shortfalls. She described the figures given in the meeting as a conservative, "worst-case" scenario that assumes limited additional reimbursements before the fiscal year end.

Next steps: The school division will provide formal transfer requests and supporting documentation to county staff; the board indicated it would consider transfers and follow up after closed-session discussion. Dr. Leslie also asked for authorization to move forward with outside financial assistance (UHY) and flagged that work as closed-meeting material for legal/negotiation reasons.