FILE:  DCDA

 

BUDGET CRISIS PROCEDURES

 

 

The DeSoto Parish School Board will always face challenges when it comes to matching planned revenues with actual expenditures.  Examples include:

 

 

PURPOSE

 

The budget crisis procedures policy is intended to provide the School Board with options when responding to unexpected fiscal issues that can and do arise.  Should budget problems materialize, these procedures will support comprehensive risk analysis and contingency plans.  Without such a program, budget problems are unlikely to be recognized until they come to a head, and responses are unlikely to be formulated and approved until cash is literally depleted and a crisis is at hand.

 

The goal of this policy is to:

 

 

DISCLOSURE AND NOTIFICATION MANDATE

 

For purposes of this policy, a budget or fiscal crisis shall be deemed to exist whenever both of the following conditions exist:

 

 

Disclosure of an anticipated budget or fiscal crisis shall be made by the Superintendent, in writing, to the School Board through its Executive Committee, which is composed of the School Board President, Vice-President, and Chairman of the Budget/Finance Committee.

 

This notice shall be given by the Superintendent without delay, but in no event, later than forty-five (45) days after the crisis is believed to exist or after being notified by the Director of Business Services that a crisis is believed to be present.  Delays are permitted for law enforcement purposes if a law enforcement official determines that the notice would impede a criminal investigation.

 

If notification is not provided to the School Board by the Superintendent within forty-five (45) days after the notification to the Superintendent by the Director of Business Services, the Director of Business Services shall give notice, in writing, to the School Board’s Executive Committee, the School Board’s attorney, and its external auditor.

 

After the disclosure of an anticipated budget or fiscal crisis has been made by the Superintendent and/or the Director of Business and Operations, monthly progress reports shall be presented to the Budget/Finance Committee on what action has been taken to end the crisis.  These monthly progress reports shall continue until the anticipated crisis has ended.

 

STEPS TAKEN TO ADDRESS CRISIS

 

The Superintendent or his designee shall implement the following six steps should the DeSoto Parish School Board experience a budget crisis.  They are as follows:

 

 

New policy:  March 6, 2014

 

 

Ref:    Board minutes, 3-6-14

 

DeSoto Parish School Board