Wednesday, January 05, 2000
Schools find little savings after audit
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MIDDLETOWN — Only 29 of 136 recommendations made to the Middletown/Monroe Schools by the state auditor's office would have a financial impact on the district if implemented.
And of those, only one — reducing busing to state minimum levels — would have a significant cost savings, about $1.4 million.
Taken together, the recommendations for cost reductions and those calling for the district to spend money to improve efficiency balance one another, said Edmund Pokora, treasurer of the Middletown/Monroe Schools.
Under Mr. Pokora's guidance, the district's management team recently filed a 151-page response with the Ohio Department of Education to the state's 200-page performance audit issued in July. The audit — and resulting plan to address its recommendations — is required of all large urban districts in Ohio.
In its response to the audit, the district outlined the status of each recommendation, who was responsible for implementing it and a timeline stating when it would be finished. On those recommendations the district doesn't plan on pursuing, a reason for not doing so is included.
“We think we'll break even but become more efficient,” Mr. Pokora said. “We have no plans to reduce busing because it's not something this community wants. That was the biggest chunk of the money we would save by implementing the state recommendations.”
The recommendations and the district's response are divided into five areas of operations: financial systems, human resources, facilities, transportation and technology. Some won't be addressed until after Monroe residents vote in March on splitting from the Middletown/Monroe Schools to form their own school district. Others have been addressed and completed.
In many instances, the recommendations call for a review of existing practices, creation of employee manuals or additional training.
Of the 12 recommendations that could reduce operating costs, three have been implemented at a savings of about $180,000 annually, the report states. Most of the remaining ones have to be negotiated with employee groups.
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Schools find little savings after audit
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