Assistant superintendent outlines preliminary FY21 projection; E&D expected near $836,000

Assistant Superintendent Matt Erenworth told the Blackstone-Millville Regional School District School Committee on June 23 that the district's preliminary FY21 general fund projection shows a favorable position but remains subject to final close-out work.

Erenworth said the FY20 beginning balance was $411,002.57 and that the district applied $140,000 of that to the FY22 budget. After accounting for budgeted revenues and expenditures, encumbrances and school-choice and charter deductions, he said the district currently shows about $207,003.58 unexpended and unencumbered. Including additional revenue variances and planned E&D applications, Erenworth said he expects the district's E&D to land at approximately $836,000.

"I want to stress all of these numbers are still very preliminary," Erenworth said, describing outstanding encumbrances and payments that remain to be cleared as the district closes its books.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about which lines the Department of Revenue reviews and how charter and choice expenses are treated in the general fund calculation. Erenworth explained that the Department of Revenue reviews general fund revenues and expenditures and that certain items, such as charter school tuition and school-choice payments, come from Chapter 70 funding and are not controlled directly by the district.

The committee did not take a final budget vote at the June 23 meeting; Erenworth said staff will continue reconciling encumbrances and provide updated figures as the fiscal year closes.

Next steps: staff will finalize year-end accounting and present updated E&D figures during the budget-close process ahead of FY22 submissions.