Posted April 17, 2019

 

As the treasurer/CFO of the Mariemont City School District, I understand the expectation of our community for strong fiscal management. My top priority is to meet and exceed this expectation and ensure our schools remain a great value to our residents.

Meeting and exceeding this expectation means prioritizing our spending. It also means keeping all of our stakeholders informed of the school district finances.  This is why we publish a financial annual report each year, and soon you will find this report on our website and in your mailbox.

I hope you’ll spend some time reviewing this important document. In it you’ll see where our money goes. We are proud of the fact that 70% of our yearly budget going towards instruction.

You’ll also see the impact that the state budgeting process has on our finances locally. It’s important to note that funding from the state of Ohio to Mariemont City Schools has decreased 34% over the last 15 years and that we are currently receiving only 31% of the full state per pupil funding amount. Unfortunately, this inadequate state funding continues to shift more and more of the burden to fund our schools to our local property owners and businesses. This is why we are watching closely as the new governor sets his budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

Mariemont City Schools has established a Community Finance Committee to discuss the district revenue stream, expenditures and financial forecasting. The group, which is made up of financial experts, will develop an understanding of state funding and ultimately give recommendations to assist the district in our long term financial planning.  This is yet another step we take to meet our community’s expectations for strong fiscal management.

The goal of our district is, and always will be, to protect the value of our schools. We understand and appreciate the investment of our residents and will make sure it is being used to grow our Scholars of Today so they can become the Leaders of Tomorrow.  Again, look for the annual report soon and reach out to me directly with any questions as we all work together to maintain the excellence of Mariemont City Schools.