Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to review the District’s budgeting process for the period July 1, 2013 through July 31, 2015.

Background

The Putnam Central School District is located in the Towns of Putnam and Dresden in Washington County and the Town of Ticonderoga in Essex County. The District, which is governed by an elected five-member Board of Education, operates one school for 20 students from kindergarten through sixth grade, after which students attend the Ticonderoga Central School District. Budgeted appropriations for the 2015-16 fiscal year total approximately $2.5 million.

Key Findings

• District officials overestimated expenditures for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 fiscal years.
• As of June 30, 2015, the District’s accumulated unrestricted fund balance was 59 percent of the ensuing year’s budgeted appropriations, whereas the statutory limit is 4 percent.

Key Recommendations

• Adopt budgets that reflect the District’s actual needs, based on historical trends or other identified analysis, including a reasonable estimate of appropriated fund balance.
• Ensure that the amount of unrestricted fund balance is in compliance with the statutory limit.