Wyoming Central School District – Financial Management (2016M-67)

Issued Date
July 15, 2016

Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to review the District’s management of financial activities for the period July 1, 2012 through January 29, 2016.

Background

The Wyoming Central School District is located in the Town of Bethany in Genesee County and the Towns of Attica, Covington, Middlebury, Perry and Warsaw in Wyoming County. The District, which operates one school with approximately 115 students, is governed by an elected seven-member Board of Education. Budgeted appropriations for the 2015-16 fiscal year totaled approximately $5 million.

Key Findings

  • Officials annually appropriated portions of fund balance toward the subsequent year’s budget that were not used because they consistently overestimated appropriations.
  • Unrestricted fund balance consistently exceeded the statutory limit.
  • The unemployment reserve totaled $220,000 as of June 30, 2015 even though annual unemployment expenditures averaged $4,000, and District officials routinely levied taxes for expenditures which could have been paid for with reserve funds.

Key Recommendations

  • Develop realistic estimates of appropriations and the use of fund balance in the annual budget.
  • Ensure that unrestricted fund balance is in compliance with the statutory limit and develop a plan to use excess funds in a manner than benefits District residents.
  • Transfer excess reserve funds to unrestricted fund balance (where allowed by law) or to other reserves established and maintained in compliance with statutory directives.