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Finance director: expenditures within budget but AG scoring flags reserve issues
Summary
Finance presenter Clementina Carlo told the board the district is within approved budget limits but highlighted attorney general/Cognia risk scoring that flagged the district for low operating reserves and capital redirections; tax-credit balances and overtime drivers were explained.
Finance presenter Clementina Carlo reviewed district financials for the board, saying 68.31% of the budget was expended and encumbered through February 24 (31.69% remaining) and that expenditures remain within approved budget limits. She compared current expenditure percentages to a typical average (66.67%) for this time of year and answered board questions about conservative spending approaches.
Carlo next summarized student activity and auxiliary account activity through February, noting February revenues for activities of $4,238 and specific expenditures (for example, girls basketball warm-up gear). She reported the district’s calendar‑year 2025 tax credit balances across sites totaled about $148,968.50 and recited balances for individual campuses as presented to the board; members asked where designated donations sit and how site councils may reassign restricted funds.
Carlo also presented a statewide financial risk analysis from the Attorney General’s office and Cognia whose updated scoring pushed some districts toward high‑risk categories. She said the district triggered two risk points: the general‑fund operating reserve (7 points) and capital monies redirected to operations (1 point). Carlo cautioned that peer‑grouping and methodology changes affect scores and observed, "I don't always necessarily agree with what they're doing because they have a way to manipulate the data," prompting board discussion about methodology, peer categories and changes in weighted student counts.
Board members pressed staff for more granular overtime reporting (transportation, maintenance and operations) and for prior‑year comparisons; staff explained overtime reflects vacancies (operations, grounds and custodial), extra routes and events and is approved by the superintendent. Members requested a breakdown distinguishing routes, sports and field trips to clarify justifications for overtime hours and costs.
No budget adjustments were made at the meeting. Board members asked staff to send the detailed student‑activities memo and the attached spreadsheets referenced in the report and to prepare comparison data for future meetings.
