School Trustees Hear Audit Report

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The Benton Harbor Area Schools Board of Education has heard some good news out of the district’s latest audit. At a Tuesday meeting, trustees heard from CPA firm Hungerford Nichols the general fund, or operating deficit, has been reduced from $4.4 million to $3.7 million since last year. District Chief Financial Officer Scott Johnson spoke with WSJM News about the findings.

“The district improved its fund balance by approximately $680,000, and the district’s fund balance — even though it is in deficit — is at its highest point in the last twelve years,” Johnson said.

Johnson said continuing to exercise caution and keeping staffing costs down could continue the progress. However, the annual audit also noted district’s long-term debt remains, now at $13.25 million. Johnson said the audit did find some issues with reporting procedures, which he’s been working on since coming back to the district this summer. Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board of education agreed to sell a piece of district property on M-63 near the Whirlpool headquarters. Interim Superintendent Patricia Robinson told us more.

“The property is an old school building that we had on M-63, North Shore,” Robinson said. “It was used for, probably about ten or twelve years ago, Head Start used to utilize that building for one of their programs.”

The selling price is $195,000. Trustee Patricia Rush said the infusion of cash will be “really good for our budget.” The property sale had been held up since July due to title issues.