RIDGEFIELD, CT — Ridgefield Public Schools officials said May 7 that the district still expects to finish the fiscal year with a modest budget surplus, though tighter operating margins and rising costs have narrowed projections compared with prior years.
During a meeting of the Board of Education’s Budget, Finance and Operations Committee, the town's Director of Finance Jill Browne reported the district’s operating budget showed a point-in-time deficit of about $282,756 as of April 30.
Browne said the figure does not yet include roughly $1.1 million in anticipated revenues expected before the fiscal year ends, including state reimbursement funding, employee insurance contributions, athletic fees and other reconciliations.
"We still estimate that we're going to complete the year within a quarter percent of our final budget allocation," Browne said. "I had given a range last month between $150,000 and a $400,000 surplus. I do believe we're going to be closer to the lower end of that.
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Browne attributed the narrowing margin to rising special education costs, substitute staffing expenses and unplanned administrative separation payouts tied to accumulated vacation time.
Committee members discussed the district’s obligation to pay departing administrators for unused vacation bank time under collective bargaining agreements. Browne said those costs are not budgeted in advance because retirements and resignations are difficult to predict.
Board member Robert Martire asked administrators to provide additional information at a future meeting regarding legal expenses and historical spending trends.
The committee also received an update on efforts to improve year-end accounting procedures through implementation of a “Period 13” process within the district’s financial management software.
Browne said Connecticut school districts must submit year-end expenditure reports to the state by Sept. 1, requiring districts to process invoices and reconcile obligations after the June 30 close of the fiscal year.
The new process would allow June and late-summer financial activity to appear within the same reporting structure, improving reconciliation and audit efficiency. Browne said testing is underway and is expected to be ready for implementation in June.
Committee Chair Kathryn Graf thanked finance staff for prioritizing the update and working with the district’s software provider to improve reporting procedures.
The committee also reviewed several internal budget transfers totaling $15,250, including funds for HVAC and HEPA filter needs at Ridgefield High School and Scotts Ridge Middle School, water-damage repairs at Barlow Mountain Elementary School, and replacement of a water distiller in the high school science department.
Browne also highlighted continued PTA support across the district, including two donations at Scotland Elementary School that exceeded the Board of Education approval threshold:
The committee meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m.
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