Columbus – The inability of the Brookfield Local Schools (Trumbull County) to develop an acceptable financial recovery plan prompted Auditor of State Dave Yost today to place the district in a state of fiscal emergency.

“The Brookfield Local Schools have some hard work ahead and difficult choices to make,” Auditor Yost said.  “My office is ready to work with school officials and the commission to bring financial stability back to this struggling district.”

On December 22, 2005, the Ohio Department of Education declared the district in fiscal caution due to anticipated deficits for the 2006 and 2007 fiscal years.  The district’s failure to present an acceptable plan to eliminate the anticipated deficits prompted the Auditor of State’s office to place the district in fiscal watch on March 2, 2006.  The Brookfield Local School District Board of Education passed a resolution on February 21, 2013 that stated the district was unable to adopt a recovery plan to eliminate the projected current year deficit.

A Financial Planning and Supervision Committee will now be created to assume all or part of the powers of the board of education.  Three members of this commission must be appointed within 15 days of this declaration of fiscal emergency.  A financial plan must be developed by the commission within 120 days of the first meeting of the commission to address the district’s financial crisis.

A full copy of this fiscal emergency declaration may be accessed online.

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The Auditor of State’s office, one of five independently elected statewide offices in Ohio, is responsible for auditing more than 5,700 state and local government agencies.  Under the direction of Auditor Dave Yost, the office also provides financial services to local governments, investigates and prevents fraud in public agencies and promotes transparency in government.

Contact:
Carrie Bartunek
Press Secretary
614-644-1111