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Milton subcommittee reviews FY25 funding transfer, payroll projections and limitations of accounting software
Summary
The subcommittee confirmed that funds from a recently passed Article 2 were moved to the town reserve under warrant-committee control, discussed steps to request release of funds, and asked staff for updated FY25 projections while noting limits in the district’s payroll/accounting software.
Milton Public Schools finance subcommittee members said money authorized by a recent Article 2 vote at town meeting has been transferred to the town’s reserve account and is now under the control of the warrant committee.
The subcommittee discussed the procedural next step: formally requesting the warrant committee or town officials to release funds to the school department in the same way other departments request transfers. Katie (meeting participant) said she will share dates and coordinate with town staff on timing. Members discussed whether the school committee needs a separate vote to request release of funds; staff agreed to double-check that requirement.
At the same time, members asked for an updated FY25 budget projection tied to recently posted payroll data. Katie explained the district uses an older version of an accounting and payroll system called Softbright; the current version in use does not automatically project the remaining salary obligations because of the way stipend and lump-sum payments post. Payroll includes a lump-sum payment processed in June that also covers some prior-month payments (for example, December). Because the system lacks a projection mechanism, staff must calculate remaining salary obligations manually after payroll posts and then prepare an updated projection. Katie said once town departments post payroll to the accounting system, she can pull reports and produce an updated projection quickly; the group agreed to target a budget-projection update for the May 28 date previously proposed.
Committee members also discussed meeting scheduling: whether to meet May 21 or wait until June 8 (referred to in conversation as the “20-eighth”/“20-eighth” phrasing in the transcript) to allow payroll data to post and to give staff time for calculations. The group settled on targeting an updated projection for the May 28 meeting if payroll posts in time; otherwise the following week would be used.
No formal funding release vote occurred at the subcommittee meeting. The transfer of Article 2 funds to the town reserve was described as already completed at town meeting; the subcommittee’s action items were limited to confirming the process to request funds and scheduling follow-up to review updated projections.
