Elmhurst D205 receives clean FY2025 audit, board hires Baker Tilly for three years

The Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 Board of Education on March 24 heard a presentation of the district's fiscal year 2025 audit and approved a three‑year audit services contract with Baker Tilly.

Scott Dunser of the auditing firm Wipfli told the board the auditors issued an "unmodified opinion, otherwise known as a clean opinion" on the district's basic financial statements. Dunser said the district finished the year with about $54,000,000 in operating fund balance, roughly 25% of expenditures when excluding the capital projects fund, and noted that federal ESSER funds are spent and state and federal revenue growth is likely to be flat or declining over the next several years.

"If there's one part to focus on, please read the management discussion and analysis," Dunser said, pointing trustees to the narrative section of the report for comparative trends and budgetary context. He advised vigilance around budgeting given revenue pressures and noted the audit report included no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in internal controls.

Following the audit presentation, the board approved administration's recommendation to contract with Baker Tilly for audit services for fiscal years 2026–28 at a three‑year cost of $185,052. The motion passed unanimously, 7–0.

Why it matters: a clean audit opinion affirms the district's financial statements are fairly presented in all material respects and the reported fund balance provides short‑term flexibility. At the same time, the auditor and staff told trustees that one‑time federal COVID relief funds are no longer available, and that revenue pressures will require conservative budgeting moving forward.

The board was shown that the full audit packet and regulatory reports are available on the district website; trustees were also encouraged to review the management discussion and analysis for details about operating results and comparatives.