The Carroll Community School District (CCSD) Board of Education held their annual meeting last (Monday) night and were pleased to announce the school is continuing a trend of sound financial management. According to Business Manager, Gary Bengtson, the General Fund’s ending balance saw a nearly 28-percent increase as compared to the balance at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2017.
He adds trends in the General Fund are usually the best place to look to determine how well a school is doing. Anytime it increases, it is a good sign. Positive points in the revenues and expenditures within the General Fund were also highlighted, both growing by nearly the same rate over the last year. Revenues in FY 2018 were at $20.6 million, slightly more than three-percent growth over FY 2017. Expenses increased 3.6 percent, up to $19.1 million from $18.4 last year. Nearly all of the growth in expenditures was classified as instructional costs, which Bengtson says is the best place to have expenses go up.
He did have some concerns about 76-percent growth in the Special Education deficit. The district ended FY 2018 at a nearly $335,000 shortfall, up dramatically from $190,000 in 2017. Board Member, Gina Badding, asked Bengtson how concerned they should be about that trend. He answered, saying the fund almost always ends in the red.
He also advised the board their best course of action is to keep a close eye on spending in that area and to take corrective action if the deficit continues to grow. Superintendent, Dr. Kevin Lein, says Carroll is in great shape financially and he thanked the board, Bengtson, and former Superintendent, Rob Cordes, for taking such great care of the district. The board then voted unanimously to officially receive and file the certified annual report.
