CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — L'Anse Creuse Public Schools says they are seeing up to a $9 million budget shortfall and held a meeting Monday night to explain to the public how they got into the deficit.
Some community members say they need more answers and solutions.
“I just don’t understand the lack of transparency," L'Anse Creuse Public Schools parent Carrie Ryan said.
Superintendent Keith Howell addressed the community saying this information should have been presented earlier, adding he feels like the budget deficit will not reach $9 million but is still higher than the original $3 million the district thought they would be at just months ago.
“We're not feeling it's going to be a $9 million loss. It’ll be less," he said at the meeting.
Howell says with rigorous financial management, the district is expected to get back on track but kept the way in which they would do that vague, saying revenue enhancements will be looked at and reducing expenditures.
No matter how many millions the district is in a deficit of, the question on Monday was how the district got here.
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Assistant Superintendent Kathy Konon presented this year’s budget and blames COVID-19 rainy day funds that ran out as part of the problem, higher cost for expenses as well as the state promising funds that never panned out.
“We are kind of stuck in the middle of the state and the federal government who are pulling the strings, and then we have to pivot," she said.
Even with the explanation, Trustee Shane Sellers sent a letter to the prosecutor's office recently demanding to see if anything malicious went on and has since filed a police report. Trustee Sandra Hernden also brought up purchases that were striking to her at the meeting that she says could also be part of the problem.
"How about $9.99 that was used for a membership for DoorDash," Sellers asked at the meeting as she was looking over financial data.
The district says now, their focus is on getting the budget under control and being transparent, but community members say they need more.
May 2024 coverage: L'Anse Creuse Public Schools' $330 million bond proposal shot down by voters
"I just want them to be honest. Just own it and then we move on. Stop doing circles 'cause the meeting was still all circles," Ryan said.
The next regular school board meeting where the mid-year budget will be addressed is March 31, where conversations are sure to continue.
