Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to review the District’s financial condition for the period of July 1, 2012 through November 13, 2013.

Background

The Portville Central School District is located in the Towns of Clarksville and Genesee in Allegany County and the Towns of Olean and Portville in Cattaraugus County. The District operates one school with approximately 1,000 students and is governed by an elected nine-member Board of Education. Budgeted general fund expenditures for the 2013-14 fiscal year are approximately $16 million.

Key Findings

• The Board failed to ensure that fund balance was maintained within legally established limits and that residents were not taxed more than necessary.
• The balances of four reserve funds were higher than necessary or were not supported by a plan or other documentation validating the amounts retained.

Key Recommendations

• Ensure that the unexpended surplus fund balance is in compliance with Real Property Tax Law statutory limits and develop a plan for the use of excess fund balance.
• Develop a policy for establishing and using reserve funds, review existing reserves and develop a plan for using surplus reserve fund balances.