External auditors issue clean opinion; board hears budget update and approves several contracts
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Summary
External auditors gave Berkeley County Schools unmodified opinions for FY ending 6/30/2025; the board reviewed a second‑quarter budget update and approved procurement awards, including a school‑finance software RFP and construction/service contracts for roofs, HVAC and safety inspections.
External auditors presented a clean set of opinions for the Berkeley County School District’s 2024–25 fiscal year and the board approved several procurement awards during the Feb. 17 meeting.
Josh Garvin of Manley Garvin reported the district received unmodified ("clean") opinions on its financial statements, on internal control over financial reporting and on the single audit for federal programs, noting those are the highest levels of audit opinion. Garvin said the district’s general fund balance decreased by roughly $10 million and capital projects decreased about $41 million but added that some $45 million is held as an assigned fund balance that the board could re‑designate if necessary.
Finance staff provided a second‑quarter FY25‑26 update: an approved general fund budget of $486 million, $156.8 million received through Dec. 31 (about 32.3% of annual budget) and $210.6 million expended (about 43.3% spent through that date). Staff discussed special‑revenue, EIA and capital project funds and explained timing for local tax revenues and carryover requirements.
On procurement, the board approved a recommendation to award RFP 7452526 for a districtwide school finance software platform to Kev Group Incorporated (Wilmington, N.C.) for an initial one‑year term valued at $195,844 with renewal options that can extend the contract to a potential five‑year value of $839,844. The district also approved capital‑project awards recommended by the capital planning committee, including a Sangaree Elementary metal roof replacement (recommended bidder in procurement presentation: Waco Roofing LLC; bid $416,195), a Boulder Bluff Elementary HVAC replacement (Hoyts Heating and AC; bid approximately $2,470,000) and fire‑protection inspections/repairs across the district with estimated first‑year and five‑year values presented by procurement staff.
Procurement staff said solicitation and evaluation followed district procedures, with evaluation panels including finance staff and school bookkeepers; several awards were approved by committee and then adopted by the full board. Board members asked clarifying questions about fund balance accounting and whether transfers between assigned and unassigned balances change the total fund balance — auditors and staff confirmed designation changes do not alter the total fund balance.
Next steps: staff will proceed with contract execution, implementation planning for the finance platform and continued capital project procurement and execution. The board did not identify additional budget cuts or new revenue sources at the meeting.