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Wayne Board hears audit showing $7 million drop in fund balance, adds personnel and disenrollment items to agenda
Summary
At its Nov. 14 meeting the Wayne Township Board of Education reviewed an auditor's report showing a roughly $7 million year-over-year decline in fund balance, heard warnings about tight capital reserves and rising bus costs, and approved agenda additions including a separation agreement, a sidebar labor pact, a student disenrollment and a settlement.
The Wayne Township Board of Education on Nov. 14 reviewed its annual audit, was warned about tightening capital reserves and rising costs, and approved several additions to the meeting agenda including personnel and student-discipline items.
Catherine Martell, the audit partner who summarized the district's financial report, told the board that the change in fund balance from fiscal 2023 to fiscal 2024 was "down a little over $7,000,000," in part because encumbrances were liquidated and the district withdrew money from capital reserves for projects. Martell said some capital and maintenance reserves remain available but described an overall tightening of resources across districts statewide.
The audit presentation included project-level figures: the auditor reported SDA projects of about $954,000 and described the district's capital-outlay share as roughly $2.168 million, and she said a board-authorized withdrawal of $4,500,000 had been recorded for improvements including Preakness and the bus depot. Martell also told the board the food service enterprise fund was "$1,000,156 over what the allowable amount is," and said the state Department of Agriculture will accept a plan to reduce that overage over time rather than require an immediate corrective finding.
Superintendent Mark Toback highlighted operating pressures in discussion after the audit, noting that "the cost of a school bus went up $25,000 in one year," an increase board members said strains a tight capital budget when several vehicles must be replaced at once.
During the meeting business administrator Moffitt announced four additions to the agenda under item Q: Q1, approval of a separation agreement and revocable letter of resignation in the matter of employee ID 5772; Q2, approval of a sidebar agreement dated Nov. 14, 2024, with the Wayne Custodial Maintenance Association regarding athletics/extracurricular overtime; Q3, approval of disenrollment of student ID 2781554552 (the district reported the student was found not legally domiciled in Wayne) with an effective removal/transfer date of Dec. 31, 2024 and an option for the student to remain through June 30, 2024 on a tuition basis at $17,375; and Q4, approval of a settlement and release in the matter of student ID 1325306952 (docket and reference numbers were read into the record).
The board moved and seconded adoption of the amended agenda. A roll-call vote produced a majority in favor; the presiding official announced an abstention on Q2 and stated the motion passed. No public speakers addressed the additions during the public-comment period on agenda items.
The audit summary and board discussion focused on fiscal prudence: Martell emphasized that the district did not use fund balance to support the FY23 budget and recommended continued attention to encumbrances, special-education costs and contract inflation. She also noted the district had no federal- or state-program audit recommendations at this time for the items tested.
The board did not take final votes in the meeting transcript on the substantive dispositions (for example, the transcript records the agenda additions were adopted, but the details and full approval of any settlement or personnel separation referenced by Q items will be reflected in the formal minutes and attached documents referenced in the agenda). The board recessed and later continued with member comments and other routine business.
