Business office earns 8th honor for budget reporting
North Penn’s business office has kept their streak going.
“We were notified last week that, for the eighth straight year, we are the recipient of the Association of School Business Officials’ Meritorious Budget award,” said district CFO Steve Skrocki.
“We are one of only eight school districts in the commonwealth to receive the award, and we’re at eight years running now, and this is for our 2022-23 budget book,” he said.
The award promotes and recognizes best budget presentation practices in school districts. Participants submit their applications and budget documents to a panel of school financial professionals who review the materials for compliance with the MBA Criteria Checklist and other requirements and provide expert feedback that districts can use to improve their budget documents, according to a district press release.
“ASBO International’s MBA program provides school districts with tools and resources to develop a high-quality, easy-to-understand budget to share the district’s goals and objectives internally and with the community,” said ASBO International COO/Interim Executive Director Siobhán McMahon. “By participating in the programs, districts demonstrate their commitment to upholding nationally recognized budget presentation standards.”
Skrocki announced the award during the Feb. 21 special school board finance committee meeting, noting that the 2022-23 budget book, award certificate, and comments from ASBO were posted on the board’s online meeting materials. He added a jab at the state’s auditor general, who recently named North Penn as one of 12 districts in the state as having raised taxes repeatedly to build reserves in recent years. At that time district officials said the tax increases were done in part to raise reserves ahead of a planned major renovation of North Penn High School, that increasing the district’s bond rating could lower long-term borrowing costs, and that all district financials were posted and discussed publicly and frequently.
“I’ll be certain to share that with the auditor general, and welcome him to come participate in our celebration of that eighth straight award,” Skrocki said.
North Penn’s finance committee next meets at 6 p.m. March 7 and the full board meets at 7 p.m., both at the district Educational Services Center, 401 E. Hancock St. For more information, visit www.NPenn.org.