Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to evaluate the District’s financial operations and use of fund balance for the period of July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2013.

Background

The New Hyde Park-Garden City Park Union Free School District is located in the Towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead in Nassau County. The District operates four schools with approximately 1,615 students and is governed by an elected seven-member Board of Education. District expenditures for the 2012-13 fiscal year totaled $33 million.

Key Findings

• The District overestimated expenditures in its adopted budgets and then used $3.5 million of unexpended surplus funds to increase the retirement reserve without including those transfers in the budget process and without soliciting the approval of District taxpayers.
• Over the five-year period, $4.8 million of unexpended surplus funds were used to fund the capital reserve fund.

Key Recommendations

• Develop budgets that include realistic expenditure estimates, ensure that budgets presented to voters be more transparent and consider including an appropriation in the annual budget to fund the retirement contributions.
• Develop a plan to use excess unexpended surplus funds in a way that benefits District taxpayers such as reducing property taxes.