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DiNapoli critical of Gowanda school estimates, fund balances

An audit, released this morning by state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, is critical of  recent financial actions and budget plans by the Gowanda Central School district in recent years.

In the report, the office says the Gowanda schools overestimated appropriations by $6.2 million for the last three budgets, beginning with the 2013-14 plan. “As a result, the district’s tax levy was higher than necessary,” the audit stated.

The appropriations that were overestimated included health insurance, by $1.3 million, or 15 percent; BOCES services, by $862,000, or 23 percent; instructional salaries, by $722,000, or 5 percent; and employee benefits, by $677,000, or 9 percent.

Also criticized in the audit were reserve funds of $3 million and an overfunded capital reserve for the purchase of buses in 2016.

Lynn Guzzetta, school board president, defended the district’s position in her response to the audit. “The board does not concur in its entirety with the findings of the draft audit report with respect to the budget estimate findings and recommendations,’ she said.

Guzzetta noted the uncertainties in public school finances are true challenges each school board faces, which leads to the estimates.

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