Establishment of Purchasing Authority for 2021-22

The Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting System (UFARS) requires that expenditures be recognized as obligations when a purchase order is issued.  These requirements interface with another law which requires that no funds be expended by a school district for any purpose in a school year prior to the adoption of spending authority.

 

Mankato Area Public Schools normally begins to purchase supplies and equipment for the next year in the preceding spring.  Since purchase orders are considered to be expenditures at the time of issuance, and since no expenditures can be made unless spending authorization has been granted, it is necessary for the School Board to provide such spending authority prior to the adoption of our official budget in June.

In order to meet requirements of UFARS, and to allow purchasing to begin for the next year, the administration recommends that spending authority for 2021-2022 be granted but that such authority be restricted to 90% of the 2020-2021 budget limits on textbooks, library books, general supplies, custodial supplies, equipment, and departmental supplies.