CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The eight counties removed from the West Virginia Department of Education’s Financial Watch List share a common improvement: increasing their general expense funds carryover balance.
The department announced earlier this month the boards of education of Boone, Clay, Hampshire, Hardy, Lewis, Pocahontas, Summers and Tucker counties are no longer on the list because of improvements.
According to Amy Willard, the executive director of finance for the department, the state has recommended a carryover between 3 and 5 percent.
“Previously, all of these counties that have been removed from the Watch List were below that recommended level,” she said. “They were able, as of June 30, 2018, to have a carryover within our minimum recommended range.”
Willard said each county made different choices that led to their removal, but many counties tend to have too many personnel over formula causing the original issues.
“Many of the counties as they had retirements or different personnel leave perhaps did not fill those positions and just really kind of tightened their belt or adjusted their spending accordingly,” she said.
The Brooke County Board of Education was added to the list; the department said earlier this month it was due to “significant one-year decline in its general current expense fund and the large number of personnel projected to be paid with local funds in the 2019-20 year.”
Calhoun, Grant, Greenbrier, Pendleton, Randolph, Upshur and Webster counties will be on the watch list for at least one more year.
“For these counties, we typically do monthly budget-to-actual monitoring of the counties’ general current expense fund and kind of work with the treasurers to kind of help analyze their spending and help keep them on track and focused on making sure they are living within their budget,” Willard said.
Willard noted Calhoun County is the only county with a deficit, an issue the local board has been addressing for “several years.”