West Cook News

The Pennoyer school board recently examined the financial health of the district and learned it wasn't bad overall but had numerous areas for improvement.

As discussed at the Dec. 14 board meeting, the auditor for the district’s annual audit advised making changes to the fund balance given that it is a small school district and needs more to fall back on than a larger district.

“We’re running on an operating deficit,” Superintendent Kristin Kopta said at the meeting. “This is largely due to those state payments that came in at the end of June. But also, you know, things are costing a little bit more. Operation and maintenance, our transportation, all that went up a little bit.  Our education fund, just some day-to-day operating educational expenses. So (that is) really something that  the board – we're going to need to work at taking away that operating deficit and reducing that down.”

In the Q1 financial report, Kopta informed that board that the district is $800,000 behind in its expected revenues because it had not received its Cook County tax dues yet. The county is on a delayed cycle this year, so when the district does receive those dues the district hopes to even out its funds. The district’s expenditures were right at expected levels for Q1. 

The board decided to schedule and hold a special board meeting at a later date to continue the discussions about budget reductions. All of the past referendums have failed in the polls and the board has been unable to increase its funding to a sufficient level. The board has had to start discussing ways to make cuts in the budget despite not having any ongoing payments or contracts, no extra programs, and salaries under the state averages.