The Taylorville School Board met in their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday Night at the Taylorville School District Administration Building. The school board was presented with the FY16 School District Audit. Adam Mathias, CPA from Lively, Mathias & Hooper & Noblet presented the school board with the audit. One of the items that was presented in the audit was a new disclosure of Taylorville’s share of the unfunded liability for the teacher retirement system. The item disclosed how the state hasn’t funded the teacher retirement system for Taylorville Schools to the tune of nearly 57 million dollars. Taylorville Superintendent Dr. Gregg Fuerstenau informed the board how the state may also be looking to offload that funding responsibility to the local school systems.

Wrapping up the audit presentation, Mathias stated that although Taylorville is operating under a deficit this year, the district has been doing a good job overall of maintaining it’s cash reserves. Dr. Fuerstenau stressed the importance of maintaining those reserves to the local citizens in attendance.

Although the Taylorville School District has managed to maintain and grow it’s cash reserves in recent years, the situation is still bleak. Taylorville Schools have cut just about everything they can to save so the district doesn’t run out of money.

Although borrowing is an option if the funds do run dry, Dr. Fuerstenau explained the consequences of doing so. Ultimately, with state education funding in the shape it’s in, Dr. Fuerstenau says the Taylorville School District will need more local revenue to operate effectively.

After hearing the Building Committee and Superintendent Reports, the Taylorville School Board meeting adjourned at 8:14 pm.