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NILES — The Brandywine school district has received a clean bill of financial health, Brandywine Board of Education members learned Monday. Besides the audit report, board members heard about the first budget amendment of the year as well as a report from the newly formed ad hoc committee.

Auditor Allison Allman of Kruggel Lawton presented the audit report for the 2023-24 fiscal year that ended June 30. “You received a clean opinion with no material issues and nothing concerning,” she told board members.

Allman reviewed the general fund numbers for the 2023-24 year. She said the general fund ended up with $19.3 million in revenue and $19.6 million in expenditures for an operating loss of $239,000. The district had budgeted revenue of $18.9 million and expenditures of $19.2 million.

She said the district still has around $4 million in general fund reserves. She said that number represents 20.5 percent of expenditures which remains above the state recommended level of having a fund balance of at least 15 percent of expenditures.

“You had a loss but the district is still really healthy financially,” Allman said. “If you had no revenue coming in, you would have money to pay for 2.4 months of expenditures.”

Assistant Superintendent of Finances & Operations Ray Wilburn presented information on the first 2024-25 budget amendment, first giving a review of the budget process throughout the year. He noted that the district proposes the new budget each June and then amends it three times before the end of the fiscal year the following June.

Wilburn said he is always conservative and careful in developing the district’s budget throughout the year so as to not overestimate revenue coming in while including all possible expenditures.

“The proposed budget has some structure but lacks detail,” he said. “We know more with each amendment we do, the budget is more and more refined. The second budget amendment will be in March and the third one in June.”

The first budget amendment calls for general fund revenue of $17,453,981 and expenditures of $18,054,500 for a deficit of $524,000. The initial proposed budget called for $17,483,998 in revenue and $17,780,500 in expenditures for a $296,000 deficit.

Wilburn said he anticipates the budget deficit to go down as the year progresses. As the budget stands now, the district would end the 2024-25 year with a $3.4 million fund balance which represents 19 percent of expenditures.

The school board will vote to approve the budget amendment at their next board meeting Dec. 9.

In other discussion items, board members heard a report about the ad hoc committee formed earlier this fall to consider possible changes to the district’s Title IX policy. New federal regulations went into effect this summer that expand protections for transgender students.

Board Vice-President John Jarpe reported that the ad hoc committee met last week with students, coaches, teachers and parents in attendance along with himself, Board President Elaine McKee and Trustee Michelanne McCombs.

“We had an open discussion with students and staff,” he said. “In general, they did not consider the transgender issue as a major issue or difficulty or problem. They felt like on an individual or case by case basic that they had been able to accommodate and work with students who identified themselves as transgender with bathroom usage.”

“They did not necessarily see a need for any adjustment to policies or the handbook, they felt like the district is handling things pretty well,” he added. “They didn’t feel that transgender students were being mistreated or threatened nor were they a threat to other students.”

While McCombs still advocated for being proactive and adding protections to the Title IX policy, other board members appeared satisfied with not making any changes.

Recently appointed board member Ryan Candler asked if there was any data suggesting there is a problem either at Brandywine or other school districts.

“Let’s not solve a problem until we have one or see it at another place,” he said.

“It’s definitely a topic that can be revisited if needed and any concerns come our way,” McKee said. “It’s important to keep encouraging staff, administrators and students to be vigilant. One student said if somebody is creepy, they’re going to be creepy, it doesn’t matter what gender they are and students are going to say something.”

In education reports, board members heard from Brandywine Elementary School Assistant Principal Melissa Foster and fourth grade teachers and students about a new “Salmon in the Classroom” project. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources sponsors the program which gives students the chance to raise, learn from and release Chinook salmon.