CLARION - Every successful business, nonprofit group and government entity has someone with his or her eye on its finances.
As big yellow school buses begin to roll again this fall, a financial team in every district watches the dollars in each school.
Fern Spellmeyer, serving as Clarion-Goldfield School District board secretary, has had that role for her school district since December 1997.
Her tasks include paying bills, doing payroll, quarterly reports, any and all reports required by government agencies, and taking minutes at the monthly Clarion-Goldfield school board meetings.
"It is a rewarding job," Spellmeyer said. "It is a challenge each month to make the money work. Managing the school district's money is just like at home, but you have more zeros."
In her more than a dozen years as board secretary for the Clarion-Goldfield system, Spellmeyer has seen many changes.
The main one can be summed up in one word: technology.
"Everything is connected by technology now," she said. "We upload to the state Web site. Our money expended has to be in the right places. Numbers are coded using 26 digits. If we use the wrong code, the computer tells us."
Spellmeyer said any change seems difficult to begin and becomes easier once it is implemented. "If we (board secretaries) have any problems, we can call the state for support. We have training classes to stay current with new things. And we don't hesitate to call others serving in similar positions in other schools with our questions."
Tight money and budgets are not new to schools, but the past year has been more difficult, she said.
"Budgets are set early," Spellmeyer said. "This year we experienced the unanticipated 10 percent across-the-board cut from the state, and our school, like many others, had declining enrollment, making money challenging. We may have the state spending authority, but we don't have the cash."
Her job is to keep the superintendent, Dr. Robert Olson, and the Clarion-Goldfield board members aware of the district's cash position.
"Fern stays on top of the school's finances as money becomes more and more tight," said Olson. "If I have questions for her, she knows. If she doesn't know, she can get any information quickly. She is a sensitive and caring person who people within our district and outside of our district respect."
The business relationship between Spellmeyer and Olson first began in 1984 when Spellmeyer was the high school's secretary and Olson the high school principal.
In their 26 years of working together, their trust of one another is very visible. "Dr. Olson is an excellent person with whom to work. I find him to be honest and true. If I make a mistake, I know that I can tell him and we can correct the error. We really work well together."
"The Clarion-Goldfield school system is a very good district with which to be involved," said Spellmeyer. "It has lots of dedicated teachers. It has great community support."
Contact Karen Weld at (515) 573-2141 or editor@messengernews.net