Plymouth-Canton board accepts clean audit; district fund balance about 20% of expenditures

Jeff Higgins, a partner at audit firm Plant Moran, told the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education that the firm had issued an unmodified, or "clean," opinion on the district's financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2025. "Based on our procedures and processes that are required under generally accepted auditing standards, which is referred to as an unmodified or a clean opinion on the district's financial statements," Higgins said.

The presentation, given at the board meeting, summarized the district's primary operating results: general-fund revenue of about $217,000,000 and expenditures of about $221,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, producing a net decrease in fund balance of roughly $4,200,000 for the year. Auditors reported total assets in governmental funds of about $74,100,000 and a remaining fund balance of approximately $44,000,000 to $45,000,000. Jeff Higgins said the district's fund balance as a percentage of expenditures sits just over 20%.

Why it matters: a clean audit signals that Plant Moran found the district's financial statements and federal program reporting reliable under auditing standards. Board members used the presentation to drill into budget-to-actual variances and the use of grant funding to protect the general fund.

Board discussion and action: Board members asked how the district achieved favorable variances and whether pandemic-era ESSER funds had been spent. Jill Minnick, chief finance and operations officer, explained the district recognized roughly $600,000 of state grant revenue later than planned and used grant restructuring and underspent equipment budgets to offset general-fund needs, which accounted for about $3,000,000 of the variance. Minnick confirmed ESSER carryover spending was complete as of Sept. 30, 2025, per the district's reporting.

Trustee Sheryl Picard moved to approve the annual financial audit reports for fiscal year 2024-2025 (action item 26-10-17); Trustee Jennifer Voss seconded. The board approved the audit by voice vote, recorded as 4-0.

The next step: auditors and finance staff said they will provide any required follow-up items and the board will receive the finalized audit materials as part of its materials packet. The board discussion also referenced broader budget pressures tied to state funding trends and per-pupil funding levels.

Sources: Presentation and Q&A with Plant Moran (Jeff Higgins, Renee Esper), district finance staff (Jill Minnick, Jody Melvin) and board trustees during the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board meeting.