AISD finances in ‘good shape’
By Melinda L. Lucas
Albany ISD trustees heard the 2019-2020 financial review during an hour-long meeting on Monday, Sept. 21, but no action was taken.
CPA Cameron Gulley presented the audit for last school year as “pending,” with the final report due next month.
He advised that no action be taken until figures are received from the Community Foundation of Abilene regarding Albany ISD’s investments.
He did not cite any compliance issues and noted that the district was actually able to “put a good amount” back in the fund balance, primarily because of a $1.1 million “miscalculation” by the state in AISD’s funding over a period of two years.
“TEA had entered incorrect data into the formula that determines our state aid,” superintendent Jonathan Scott explained. “Once we discovered their error, I notified them to investigate our finding.”
The state agreed with the finding and made the change, resulting in additional revenue that should have been given during the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 school years, Gulley said.
In addition, because of the three-month school closure last spring, the district came in under budget because of less-than-expected expenditures in areas such as student travel and food services.
Overall, Gulley said, the district is in good financial shape, despite the state-mandated tax rate compression and a $310,266 decrease in tax revenue.
Personnel Changes
Scott reported that administrative assistant Morgan Whitley is resigning to take an opening at the Region 14 service center and that NSES paraprofessional Rebecca Presley had also resigned to take another position.
The superintendent proposed that Kelsey Bell, who is a certified teacher, be added to the staff to work with a special needs elementary student.
Other Business
•NSES principal John Gallagher reported that although several field trips and special activities have been cancelled this year because of -COVID-19, Camp Grady Spruce for the fifth grade class is still on the calendar for November, with the organizers taking precautions such as only one school in attendance at one time.
•Secondary principal Glen Hill told trustees how the staff had adjusted to teaching in a new type of environment, with different routines and procedures. He also commended the efforts that new band director Will Vaughan is putting into the music program.
