NEVC board discusses budget, credit card safety

Nevada Daily Mail

With the end of the school year and the approach of the end of the fiscal year, the Northeast Vernon County board of education discussed the previous year's budget as well as the proposed one for the 2015-2016 year.

Superintendent Charles Naas said the report he gave to the board members, which showed a loss of more than $80,000, is misleading because they are still waiting on various payments. When those come in, he said he expects the bottom line to show a increase of $40,000 or possibly more everything comes in as expected in the final days of June.

The preliminary budget for the next fiscal year projected a year with virtually no change in finances other than a potential profit of about $250. The revenue is projected to be $2,205,950 with the expenditures at $2,205,700.

"It's pretty comparable to where we ended this year," Naas said of the projections compared to the previous year's expected profit.

The state funding the school expects to receive will add up to approximately $3,174 per student, determined by the average daily attendance over the last three years and using multipliers established by the state, for a total of $780,607.19. That amount is combined with the funds raised through local taxes, which should add up to about $640,000.

Naas also told the board of a new method they will use in the upcoming year to protect the school from potential credit card fraud.

Up until now, Naas said teachers or other staff needing to use the school's credit card to make purchases merely let Naas know and then provided an invoice. But starting in the fall, Naas said they would have to fill out a formal request, which will then provide a code that will be matched with the receipt they provide after the purchase.

Those codes connecting requests to the purchases will help Naas when he goes over the credit report each month, saying in the past they have had some trouble connecting money spent to what the purchase was for or who made it.

Each request requires the person to signal that they recognize misuse of the card could lead to their termination, but Naas also said he realizes mistakes can be made, recalling a time when he accidentally used the school's card instead of his own and had to correct the mistake. But intentional fraud using the card will not be tolerated.

Naas said in the past they have received warnings when it is suspected that someone else is using the school's card for purchases, such as in the past few years when reports showed purchases in Europe. In each case, a new card was issued and the old one canceled.

"So far we've been fortunate enough not to have any issues," Naas said.

The board also received an update on their intentions to get a new gym floor, which will cost between $8,000-$11,000, depending on whether they also pay for cleaning, repairs and a graphic on the floor. Their August hog roast will continue to be held to raise money for the project.

Naas also announced the food prices will go up by five cents once again.