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Lake County board approves FY25 amendments, moves $42,000 and incorporates grant-related expenditures
Summary
At its June 9 meeting the Lake County Board of Education approved line-item adjustments for the FY25 general purpose fund, moved $42,000 between accounts and approved amendments that reflect more than $1.2 million in grant-related activity; board and staff discussed Skyward conversion, audit findings and reimbursement timing.
The Lake County Board of Education on June 9 approved adjustments to its fiscal year 2025 budget that move roughly $42,000 among line items and implement amendments tied to grant-funded purchases and reimbursements, board members said.
The changes include maintenance-of-effort adjustments and budget entries to cover grant-funded projects that are fronted by the district pending federal or state reimbursement. Board members and finance staff described roughly $616,000 tied to a digital skills grant and said the packet of amendments in total exceeded $1.2 million; the board moved a $42,000 adjustment in the packet before approving the general purpose fund amendments and sending the item to the county commissioners for their agenda.
Why it matters: The amendments shift existing appropriations rather than increase overall spending, but they affect the district's fund balance and cash flow because several grants require the district to pay invoices up front and await reimbursement. Board members repeatedly raised audit findings and reconciliation work as a condition of closing the books and finalizing fund balances.
Board discussion and auditor involvement
Board members and finance staff described a multiweek process with state auditors and the comptroller’s office to reconcile transactions after the district switched accounting software to Skyward midyear. Amy (finance staff) told the board auditors visited the district and offered hands-on guidance; she said staff have been learning journal entries, reconciling payroll and other functions in the new system.
“We have made a view. She has made a view. So we're working together, and they will actually be back in our building on Wednesday,” Amy said, describing follow-up help from auditors. Amy also said parts of the books remained open while staff and auditors completed month-end and journal entries: “Some of the budgets, we are still working on April and May.”
Board members emphasized that reconciliation issues were longstanding and that the current work is intended to clear audit findings rather than hide problems. A board member cautioned that the longer amendments are deferred, “the more complex it gets.” The board requested regular fund-balance updates and said staff would provide a snapshot the Wednesday before monthly meetings.
Grants, reimbursements and cash flow
Finance staff described multiple grants that require the district to pay vendor invoices up front and then file for reimbursement. The digital skills grant was cited repeatedly; staff described purchases of equipment and an expected reimbursement process through grants.gov and the Department of Justice’s JustGrants portal. Staff said one grant referenced a $616,000 obligation and that other grant reimbursements together account for the bulk of the amendments.
“That is the issue — you pay the bill on the front end. Then they reimburse us back unless it has one of them has a 10% [retention],” a staff member said when describing grant timing.
Votes at a glance
- Adjustment to prior amendment (line-item credit/debit): motion carried after roll call; mover recorded as Vivian, second recorded as Judy; motion approved by the members present (roll call recorded affirmative votes).
- General purpose fund amendments (FY25): motion carried after roll call; mover recorded as Judy, second recorded as Deborah; motion approved by the members present (roll call recorded affirmative votes).
(Transcript records roll calls and affirmative votes; no opposed or abstention tallies were recorded in the meeting excerpt.)
Next steps and oversight
Board members asked staff to avoid creating negative line items and to minimize auditor adjustments that can trigger findings. Staff said the packet will be submitted to the county commissioners for their approval where required. Multiple board members asked for clearer, regular reporting on the district’s daily or weekly fund balance while reimbursements are pending.
Ending
Board members approved the amendments and asked staff to continue working with state auditors and the comptroller’s office to close the books. Staff said they will provide fund-balance updates before future board meetings and follow up on outstanding reimbursements and audit corrections.
