Weber School District expands audit committee, opens RFP for outside financial review

The Weber School District announced an expansion of its audit committee on the board's study-session agenda, adding finance- and procurement-related oversight and committing to monthly committee meetings.

Brock Mitchell, who described the committee's goals, said the effort is intended to give the board "a clearer picture of where we are financially as a district" and to align long-range financial planning, review systems and procedures, and provide director-level briefings on large purchases to ensure full transparency. "We're gonna ask from time to time some of the directors to come in and speak to those purchases so that the board has a full understanding of what's actually being purchased," Mitchell said.

To support that oversight, the district issued an RFP to secure an outside firm to assist with enrollment projections, forecasting models and scenario planning. Mitchell said the RFP will remain open through "January 23" and that the district expects to return recommendations at the next board meeting. He added that the district previously worked with a state-contracted firm but opened the RFP because that vendor's proposal did not meet all district requirements.

Board members asked how the RFP review would be staffed; the board agreed two members will sit on the review panel and solicited volunteers; one board member volunteered during the study session.

The board did not take a formal recorded vote during the study session; the changes and the RFP were presented as board direction to staff and a future recommendation.

Next steps: the RFP review committee will evaluate proposals received by Jan. 23 and present recommendations to the full board at the next meeting.