Munster finance team disputes DUAB dashboard data, highlights referendum reliance

The School Town of Munster's chief financial officer told trustees the district will rely on its own calculations after discovering multiple errors in the Indiana Department of Education’s (DUAB) public financial indicator dashboard for Munster.

Mister Melby said DUAB’s dashboard misstates Munster’s rainy day fund and other indicators and that DUAB’s director (Dan Schmidt, referenced) has acknowledged unresolved calculation problems and is continuing work to correct the data. Melby presented district-generated cash-balance and encumbrance figures he said are accurate and cautioned the board not to budget recurring costs on investment income, because interest earnings are likely to decline.

Melby also noted Munster remains among the lower-funded districts in the state on a per-pupil basis and identified the district’s operating referendum as a critical revenue source, saying roughly 10% of the district’s revenue comes from the referendum and that the district could not sustain current positions and programs without it. He warned that changes tied to Senate-enrolled Act 1 will likely lower the district’s net assessed value in coming years and could reduce state funding allocations for schools unless offset locally.

The board discussed relying on district-calculated indicators while DUAB corrects its dashboard. No formal action beyond discussion and a presentation was recorded; trustees asked staff to continue monitoring state changes and to bring drafts of any policy or handbook changes tied to transportation fees or other responses at later meetings.