KEENE — An audit of transportation state aid to Keene Central School showed the district almost missed state reimbursement for seven school buses.

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Not properly filed

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The narrowly-focused audit covered seven of the school’s nine buses, and district officials said they agreed with the recommendations and planned to initiate corrective action.

“District officials did not apply for all transportation aid in a timely manner and were at risk of losing $20,513 for new bus acquisitions,” auditors wrote. “The district also did not properly file for transportation aid for seven buses. However, after auditors identified the risk of lost aid, the treasurer prepared and submitted state aid applications for five of these buses and indicated she will file for the remaining two.”

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No aid lost

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No state aid was lost because the problem was identified before the deadline and the correct application submitted.

The district will file the appropriate state aid applications for the two remaining buses identified in the report, auditors said.

In addition, Keene Central will “implement procedures to ensure transportation aid applications are accurately prepared and submitted in a timely manner, (and) prepare an annual reconciliation of transportation aid expected to be received with actual amounts received.”

The auditors said school officials did not perform an annual reconciliation of the district’s state aid receipts, records and reports, but will do so in the future.

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Board agrees

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Keene School Superintendent Daniel Mayberry filed a response to the audit saying the administration and School Board concurred with the findings.

“Recent changes in staffing and a better understanding of the process has allowed the district to make the necessary changes to address the reporting and oversight of bus purchases and the reconciliation of the associates state aid,” he wrote. “We want to thank the audit staff involved in performing our audit for their professionalism and courteous manner given to our staff throughout the process.”

The district has 160 students and 55 employees. The audit covered July 1, 2011 to Nov. 30, 2020.