Friday, June 10, 2011

Category 12 Savings Not Reported in MCPS Monthly Financial Reports

I have done a little research on this issue of the school system identifying or not identifying the sizable cost savings it now says it has achieved in the area of employee benefit costs. Reviewing the official MCPS Monthly Financial Reports, it is clear that MCPS did not report these savings within its Monthly Financial Report.


Note that just 4 weeks ago MCPS stated that it would only be underbudget by $1.3M in Category 12 (where employee benefit costs are charged), and the description makes no reference to any health care cost savings. Chris Barclay claims he discussed the savings with the Council President, and she appears to deny that claim. What is indisputable is that the official, and legally required, reporting makes no reference to it.


Also note that the dollar amount and the description of the savings remained unchanged since February 8.

MCPS Cost Projections for FY2011 Employee Benefit Costs
(which reported within the cost category “12-Fixed Charges”, as defined in Maryland Law)


May 10, 2011
Category 12—Fixed Charges
The projected surplus of $1,300,000 in Category 12, Fixed Charges, is unchanged from last month. The surplus is primarily a result of savings for employee benefits associated with positions that were realigned from the local budget to grants in Category 6, Special Education
April 28, 2011
Category 12—Fixed Charges
The projected surplus of $1,300,000 in Category 12, Fixed Charges, is unchanged from last month. The surplus is primarily a result of savings for employee benefits associated with positions that were realigned from the local budget to grants in Category 6, Special Education.
March 8, 2011
Category 12—Fixed Charges
The projected surplus of $1,300,000 in Category 12, Fixed Charges, is unchanged from last month. The surplus is primarily a result of savings for employee benefits associated with positions that were realigned from the local budget to grants in Category 6, Special Education.
February 8, 2011
Category 12—Fixed Charges
The projected surplus of $1,300,000 in Category 12, Fixed Charges, is unchanged from last month. The surplus is primarily a result of savings for employee benefits associated with positions that were realigned from the local budget to grants in Category 6, Special Education.
January 11, 2011
Link on Board Agenda Page Broken, cannot view monthly financial report


December 7,2010
No Comments, projected to be on budget

**********************

Bob Astrove

2 comments:

  1. How can Barclay claim in his letter to Ervin that he disclosed that a $15,000,000 surplus was likely at a April 15 meeting when the official budget statements MCPS produced at the April 28 and May 10 BOE meetings had a much lower $1,300,000 projected surplus?

    If he did know about the $15,000,000 surplus on April 15, did he not have a duty to correct the budget statement at the April 28 BOE meeting? Why did he not even correct it by the May 10 BOE meeting?

    Bob Ladden

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Bob for digging through this and doing the heavy lifting.

    ReplyDelete

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