School audit to change focus

RED HOOK - School district trustees were told on Thursday that a review of salaries and benefits would be emphasized as part of the annual external audit.

Changes in the audit were discussed during a Board of Education meeting, where officials said the it would begin when the 2007-08 fiscal year ends June 30.

"The auditing standards for government entities seems to be notched up to a higher level every year," district Business Manager Bruce Martin said.

"The biggest thing that's changed is a focus on payroll and less focus on some of the more miscellaneous accounts payable kinds of things," he said. "In the past the audit was more solidly focused on who went to what conference and who had what for lunch kind of things."

Martin said state officials have apparently caught up with the realities of local district spending plans.

"I've said it often at budget time that 70 to 75 percent of our budget is tied up in health insurance and salary-related benefits," he said. "It makes sense that you would focus the audit in the area where most of the money is."

Also on Thursday, the board:

* Set summer pay for school bus drivers at $17.50 per hour, a $2.50 increase of 16.67 percent.

* Set summer pay for bus monitors at $13 per hour, a $2.50 increase of 23.81 percent.

* Approved policy requiring special education for children 5 and 6 years old to be provided services within the district if they do not have special disability needs.