SAUNDERS

MARQUETTE — The Marquette Area Public Schools Board of Education on Monday heard a positive audit for the fiscal year which ended on June 30.

Presenting the audit was Annette Eustice, a principal for the firm Rehmann Robson LLC, based in downstate Cheboygan.

“The goal of an audit is to ensure or to provide an opinion that your financial statements are fair in all material respects,” Eustice said.

In this regard, MAPS received a favorable opinion, she said.

Eustice said the general fund balance ended in June at about $7.65 million. The net increase in the general balance from 2018 was approximately $500,000.

The ending fund balance, she said, is 23% of one year’s expenditures, which she called “very good.”

“You want to be in the range of 10 to 25%,” Eustice said.

Regarding expenditures, she noted MAPS spends 45% of its money on basic and instructional programs, and about 16% on added needs programs.

“So if you add those together, you’re spending more than 50% directly on the students,” Eustice said.

The board also on Monday approved pay for substitute teachers.

MAPS Superintendent Bill Saunders said the current rate of $75 is in line with what most other regional districts are paying.

However, the board adopted an added inducement.

“We also know that we continue to face severe shortages for our substitute teachers,” Saunders said.

He proposed that a substitute teacher who works six days in a pay period receive a $100 bonus, calling that a “carrot” to get some subs to work more.

“That’s the rationale behind it,” Saunders said. “It may not work, but it’s something to try, see if it works. If not, we may have to come back at some point in the future and look at a different way to continue to try to attract more substitutes in that area.”

The board then approved the 2019-20 substitute rates effectively immediately.

Christie Bleck can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 250.