FROM–THE–FIELD

Identify, Manage and Communicate Your Plans

Let’s set the scene: You are a Business Manager who just drove through some light snow to get to the office. The workspaces are quiet as you arrived a little early. You settle into your warm space and gaze out of your window for a moment to enjoy the apricity of the cold wintery day. The visible steam is rising from your hot cup of coffee, and you are ready to start your meetings. Your phone rings, and it is your trusted Facility Director. She is likely confirming the morning’s meeting. You answer: “Hello.” She blurts out: “The boilers are down at the elementary school, and the classrooms are getting very cold.” You feel like you have just been punched in the mouth!

Simply Saying

Steven Kowalski BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER PERFORMANCE SERVICES, INC.

We all know where the story goes from here. The discussion is about emergency repairs, “throwing good money after bad,” not having enough time to properly design and replace those aging systems with new efficient technology, not to mention the decision to send kids home or not. Ugh!

In my experience as a Service Associate, the most important accounting practices for K12 schools seem to fit into three categories; identify, manage and communicate.

Planning for rising costs is a challenge but getting hit with unexpected costs is even harder. Many districts work with multiple Service Associates to collaboratively create expenditure planning documents. A well thought out plan can help identify, manage and communicate budgets that reduce unexpected costs and create significant future savings. From life cycle costing to grant opportunities to energy and operating costs, administrators are tasked to budget for a myriad of current and future expenditures. When planned out proactively in a timely manner, districts benefit from economies of scale, reduced emergency repairs, lower bids, competitive grants and a host of other cost saving strategies.

Whether you are trying to identify, manage or communicate your budgets, the articles in this edition of the UPDATE, will help you along the way. Also, your Illinois ASBO Service Associates are always here to work as an extension of your team.