State withholding CCS funds until 2018-19 financial report is in order

    County Treasurer Cindy Schoenberger has been directed by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) to withhold all school money belonging to Chase County Schools until its 2018-19 financial report is in order.
    The Nov. 5 letter from Nebraska’s Commissioner of Education Matthew Blomstedt said the CCS superintendent’s office was sent an email on Oct. 18 and Nov. 1 that the 2018-19 financial report was due and the funds would be withheld if the required report wasn’t complete by Nov. 1.
    Blomstedt told the county treasurer that funds are to be withheld until he lets them know otherwise.
    Funds being withheld include state aid and all local funds, according to the letter. Financial support of public schools in Nebraska comes largely from local property taxes.
    Schoenberger said Wednesday $68,030.89 was scheduled to be issued to CCS for November.
    The figure sent to the schools each month is based on taxes collected the previous month, so in this case, they included October’s receipts, she said.
    State aid funds are mailed directly to the school.
    CCS Board President Jeff Olsen said the 2018-19 annual report was submitted but all of the final numbers were not included.
    He learned of the situation last week.
    “I knew it (withholding of funds) was possible because our auditor was having trouble reconciling some of the numbers,” Olsen said.

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