The District 150 School Board is re-examining its financial policies amid current and looming spending deficits. The discussion stemmed from one significant purchase:
District staff already spent $220,000 to upgrade Microsoft Office software in classrooms. But School Board member Rick Cloyd says he didn’t know the board didn’t sign-off on some large purchases without proper discussion:
“Anytime we spend money over like $25,000, there ought to be a written business case, with the financials on one page that the board sees before we ever issue a purchase order.”
To that end, the board is expected to firm up its purchasing issues at its next policy meeting being held Tuesday. Board President Debbie Wolfmeyer says the board does not vote on large purchase orders:
“But then that’s when we need to give instruction to staff, through policy, that we want that procedure to change.”
The issue comes as the district’s current academic year deficit grew due to uncertain state aid and property tax revenue. Last night was also the final meeting for outgoing board members Chris Crawford and Jon Bateman.