Cheveralls advocates increased financial oversight

Citing a policy dating back to 1974, under which any movement of funds from one line item to another in the school budget requires a School Committee vote, School Committee Chairman Keith Cheveralls asked the board at its March 1 meeting to endorse the policy, which had last been approved in 2006.

As a practice since at least 1998, according to the recollection of those present at the meeting, the School Committee has received monthly budget tracking reports, showing which items are over or under anticipated costs. The School Committee has been consulted in advance only on budget transfers from one major cost center to another (e.g., from the elementary school budget to the special education program). Cheveralls objected to getting the information after the fact, when some bills have already been paid.

Town Finance Director Lorraine Leonard pointed out that following the policy to the letter “will mean a lot of votes at every meeting.” She explained that the committee would not only have to approve an increase in spending for every bill that came in higher than expected, but would also have to decide exactly which line would lose the same amount. Until they did so, the bill could not be paid.

Cheveralls asked Leonard to prepare a sample of bills that might come up in a two-week period for which the committee would have to vote, if they followed the policy to the letter.
 

—Marty Green