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School district gives financial update to community

By Sarah Shurge Wayne-Westland Community Schools significant budgetary issues. operational costs spiking due to in-
Over the summer of 2023, the posted a video on Facebook to help Campbell explained that in flation.
Wayne-Westland Community Schools explain their ongoing work and school finance there is what is All these factors totaled approxi-
(WWCS) learned about significant is- strategic direction as the financial in- termed “flow-through transactions.” mately 15 million dollars more
sues related to the district finances. vestigation wraps up. This is anticipated revenue desig- (mostly in wages and benefits) than
The WWCS has been in a close “There is no evidence of missing nated for a specific purpose offset by the prior year.
budget review following the annual money,” said Chief Financial Officer corresponding expenditures. Mean- “Regrettably these increased ex-
fiscal audit. Julie Campbell. “There were two ing: your revenue coming in is equal penditures were not factored into the
WWCS Superintendent John Dig- major budget issues that contributed to your expenditure going out, and final budget amendment, contribut-
nan shared these facts with the com- to this surprise decrease in the dis- your change to the bottom line is a ing to the apparent decline in the
munity through letters on October trict fund balance from what was net zero. “One such transaction fund balance,” said Campbell.
24th, December 7th, and December projected to be 15.6% to an actual amounting to about 8.4 million dol- Campbell emphasized that there
8th fund balance of 6.2%.” lars targeted for the Office of Retire- is no missing money and that the
Thursday, December 14th, This reduction resulted from two ment Services (which is the state perceived discrepancy in the district
pension system) had a significant im- fund balance results from expendi-
pact on our fund balance,” said tures not included in the final budget
Campbell. “Unfortunately, while the amendment.
revenue was budgeted, the corre- “When the budget discrepancy
sponding expenditures were not. was identified, the district re-
Creating a misleading appearance of sponded immediately and worked
a higher fund balance.” with our new financial team to un-
Campbell explained the second derstand what had occurred,” said
budgetary challenge arose from vari- Superintendent Dignan. “I’m confi-
ous factors including: all staff senior- dent that working
ity steps, salary increases, new together with our
bonuses, and a 4.1% increase in dis- board of education,
trict-wide healthcare hardcaps. union leadership,
Other contributing factors were a and school commu-
significant surge in the district's re- nity, we will get
tirement contribution liability and through this.” Watch video

The Wayne Dispatch · January 2024 · 11