School District Business Director

Delivers ‘Good News’

By Eliza Hallabeck

Before the school district’s Director of Business Ron Bienkowski presented his financial report for January to the Board of Education at its meeting on Wednesday, February 22, he said, “I’m pleased to present this report because I think there is a vast amount of good news in it.”

The projected balance for this year’s budget, according to Mr Bienkowski’s report, is roughly $214,000.

The report also says while the projected balance has improved, it will continue to be monitored as it is still a lean budget.

Mr Bienkowski also reported money related to the Equalized Cost Sharing grant programs, state grants that reimburse some education costs, will be deposited in the town’s general fund.

“Cumulatively we will receive about $99,000 more,” said the business director. “This money goes directly to the town. It’s deposited in the general fund, so that will certainly help the town.”

Mr Bienkowski also said credits in the budget were found through in-depth analysis conducted by the business office over the last month-and-a-half.

While Mr Bienkowski said he normally does not release the anticipated amount of money the school district will return to the town at the end of the year this early in the process, he said two accounts that will be closed out will alone give the town $134,000 to help offset taxes and help fund the school budget.

After Mr Bienkowski gave this report to the board, Board of Education Secretary Cody McCubbin questioned why more specific details were not included in the report. E-mails were sent between Mr McCubbin and Mr Bienkowski in the last month, according to both men, that included questions about certain line items in the budget. Mr Bienkowski said he has been reporting the school district’s monthly financial reports with a macro look at the budget for the last 12 years.

“I want to understand what is going on, on a daily basis,” said Mr McCubbin, “where the money is going.”

Board of Education Chair Debbie Leidlein said it would be best to have the school board’s financial subcommittee look into how the business director could provide his monthly financial reports to the school board in the future.

Also during the meeting the school board unanimously approved a ratified educational assistants contract and heard during public participation about A Citizen’s Guide to the Budget Development Process, created by residents Alisa Farley, Kinga Walsh, Robin Fitzgerald, Cathy Reiss, and Charles Hepp. To read more about the guide, see the related story in this week’s edition of The Bee.