Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to evaluate the District’s financial management for the period July 1, 2012 through March 1, 2016.

Background

The Weedsport Central School District is located in the Towns of Brutus, Cato, Conquest, Mentz, Sennett and Throop in Cayuga County. The District, which operates two schools with approximately 800 students, is governed by an elected five-member Board of Education. The District’s operating budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year totaled approximately $17.56 million.

Key Findings

• District officials acknowledged the decline in unrestricted fund balance and developed a plan to increase it to between 3 and 4 percent of the ensuing year’s budget by addressing the District’s reliance on non-recurring revenues as a financing source.
• The District has developed multiyear financial and capital plans. However, including more details in these plans, such as funding sources, would benefit the District as it faces current and future economic and environmental challenges.
• District officials have not formally analyzed the balances in reserve funds to determine if the amounts are appropriate for the District’s needs.

Key Recommendations

• Continue to reduce the District’s reliance on non-recurring revenues, such as fund balance and interfund transfers, as financing sources in the annual budgets.
• Develop and adopt comprehensive multiyear financial and capital plans for a three- to five-year period that address the funding, use and maintenance of fund balance and reserves, specific timelines and funding sources for capital improvement projects and purchases, and any economic or environmental factors that could affect the plans.
• Analyze reserve funds to ensure balances are best aligned with the District’s long-term needs.