Tonawanda City School District – Financial Management (2016M-370)

Issued Date
February 03, 2017

Purpose of Audit

The purpose of our audit was to evaluate the District’s financial management practices for the period July 1, 2012 through July 22, 2016.

Background

The Tonawanda City School District is located in Erie County. The District, which operates five schools with approximately 1,720 students, is governed by an elected seven-member Board of Education. Budgeted appropriations for the 2016-17 fiscal year total approximately $32 million.

Key Findings

  • The District appropriated fund balance to help finance operations, but it was not needed because the District’s budgeting practices produced operating surpluses.
  • The District’s 2015-16 year-end unrestricted fund balance was 9.1 percent of 2016-17 budgeted appropriations, which exceeded the statutory limit by 5 percentage points.

Key Recommendations

  • Adopt budgets that realistically reflect the District’s operating needs and use surplus funds as a financing source for funding one-time expenditures, funding needed reserves or reducing District property taxes.
  • Ensure that unrestricted fund balance at fiscal year-end does not exceed the statutory limit.