BudgetBytes

Tips of Budgeting....

Establishing a Detailed Budget Calendar

Establishing a detailed budget calendar sets the tone, direction and pace of budget development as well as providing a road map with benchmarks along the way.  While most districts have such calendars; the calendar should be used as a planning tool that provides greater information of the process thus acting as a communications tool as well. 

Consider adding Responsibility for Actions to elevate any ambiguity over roles and provide for better accountability.  Below is an example of the calendar I have developed over the past 15 years with many modifications based on changing needs and demands.  Also use color to distinguish certain groups such as Board Committees.

        

Using Capital Reserve Funds

Did you know that you can withdraw funds from Capital Reserve at any time by simply passing a board resolution?  As long as the project is in your LRPF and it’s an eligible or "otherwise" eligible capital project, that’s all you have to do.  An "otherwise" eligible capital project is an "eligible" project that you must declare as non-eligible and therefore waive your rights to SDA grant funds.  Why would you do this?  Because the DOE will not move ahead with the approval of any project that requires SDA grant funding at this time.  
                So what do you do if you have a project that is not eligible?  (We sometimes refer to these projects as "other" capital projects).   Well, you have to remember a few things:

        

All Capital Projects must be approved by the Department of Facilities.  So, if you want to do a capital project next summer, get your architect on board and submit plans to the DOE now.  And by the way, Capital Reserve funds may be withdrawn by board resolution to pay for predevelopment costs (for eligible projects). 

 Projects have to be included in your districts Long Range Facility Plan. 

Other or non-eligible capital projects require voter or Executive County Superintendent approval.   The easiest way to do this is to place the project in your 2013/14 budget and appropriate capital reserve funds to cover the cost.  This way there is no tax levy impact for next year. 

By virtue of your budget being approved by the voters in April or the Executive County Superintendent in March (if there is no budget vote), the capital project is approved.