OSKALOOSA — Van Maanen, Sietstra, Meyer & Nikkel, PC, Certified Public Accountants recently released an audit report on the Oskaloosa Community School District in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

The District’s revenues totaled $30,875,708 for the year ended June 30, 2015, a 4.4{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} increase from the prior year. Revenues included $11,640,661 in local tax; charges for service of $1,706,196; operating grants, contributions and restricted interest of $5,038,649; unrestricted interest of $14,492; and
other general revenues of $12,475,710.

Expenses for District operations totaled $28,948,167, a 0.6{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} increase from the prior year. Expenses included $17,209,045 for instruction, $7,807,833 for support services and $3,931,289 for other expenditures.

This report contained recommendations to the Board of Education and District officials. The report noted issues with certified enrollment and supplementary weighting.

The District has responded that corrective action is being taken on these items . The report also noted expenditures in excess of budgeted amounts
in two different functional areas and deficit balances in two different funds. The District has responded that corrective action is being taken on these items also.

A copy of the audit report is available for review in the District Secretary’s office, in the Office of Auditor of State and on the Auditors of State’s web site at http://auditor.iowa.gov/reports/index.html

Story provided by the Oskaloosa Herald

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina visited Oskaloosa Wednesday at noon. She spoke to around 70 people in Smokey Row Coffee Shop about a range of topics, including the EPA, the government, and technology.

Fiorina told a story about going on a combine ride with a soybean farmer last August. She commented on the technology in farm equipment now, and said she asked the farmer about the waterways on the combine’s monitor. She went on to say that the EPA owns 97{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} of the water in the state of Iowa, which isn’t right.

“I tell you what, I trust that soybean farmer and his combine a whole lot more to manage that grass, and protect his family, and protect his community, and protect his crops than some nameless, faceless bureaucrat in Washington, DC,” Fiorina said.

Fiorina said that the government has gotten too large, and power has been taken away from the people.

“This was intended to be a citizen government. We the people. It is not ‘we the people’ anymore. The truth is, power has been taken away from the citizens of this nation and concentrated into the hands of government bureaucrats and professional politicians,” stated Fiorina.

She went on to remind those in attendance about how the people have power. She spoke about the Veterans Affairs Scandal, and how Americans became so outraged, the citizens pressured the government to pass a bill which said the top executives in the VA could be fired.

“We flooded Congress with Tweets, posts, emails, and phone calls. In other words, we citizens of this nation exerted power and pressure on the politicians in Washington, DC, and guess what? Because of all the power and pressure, this do-nothing Congress did something. In fact, in three short weeks, they passed a bill,” said Fiorina.

On the topic of technology, Fiorina said that America needs a president that understands it.

“It’s a very powerful tool, but guess what folks, it’s also a weapon. It is a weapon being wielded against us by our enemies, and right now we are losing that war in cyberspace, so we got to have a president who understands that, and understands what to do about it,” stated Fiorina.

Oskaloosa was stop two of five for Fiorina on Tuesday. The campaign leads up to the Iowa Caucuses on February 1^st.

Story provided by George Henry