Homewood Board of Education announces successful audit

The Homewood Board of Education held its monthly meeting at Hall-Kent Elementary school Jan. 21, with results from the past year’s audit as the main topic of discussion.

The findings of the audit brought good news for Homewood City Schools.

No changes needed to be made to the original financial statement to conform with code. The balance sheet shows the school system ended fiscal 2019 with $19.7 million in the general fund. The audit reported a $5.2 million increase this past year across all funds.

Board President Charlie Douthit praised Chief School Financial Officer Lynn Buch for her efforts.

“Thankful to have Lynn,” Douthit said. “She wrote the software at the state, and she understands what needs to happen. She’s the best in the state, and that’s why she’s here.”

There was an end balance of $800,000 in the capital projects fund. Other governmental funds, including the child nutrition program and local school activity accounts, ended with $2.9 million in funds for the year.

In total, the school system’s end fund balance came in at $23.5 million.

HCS has continued to qualify as a low-risk auditee, which means there have been no negative findings in the audit over the past three years. Board member Erin Stephenson echoed Douthit’s sentiment toward the financial team.

“Obviously a three-minute presentation doesn’t begin to encapsulate what all that takes,” she said. “We don’t take that for granted.”

The school board also approved an out-of-state field trip request for the 12th-grade Advanced Placement Literature classes at Homewood High School to travel to Atlanta to see the Broadway play “Hamilton.”

The school board will hold its next meeting Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Board of Education office.