Section 281.98.22. Use of the unexpended general fund balance.

The unexpended general fund balance is commonly called the secretary’s balance and refers to the fund balance remaining in the general fund at the end of the fiscal year.

       98.22(1) Authorization required. The school budget review committee may authorize a school district to spend a reasonable and specified amount from its unexpended general fund balance for either of the following purposes:

        a.           Furnishing, equipping, and contributing to the construction of a new building or structure for which the voters of the school district have approved a bond issue as provided by law or the tax levy provided in Iowa Code section 298.2.

        b.           The costs associated with the demolition of an unused school building, or the conversion of an unused school building for community use, in a school district involved in a dissolution or reorganization under Iowa Code chapter 275, if the costs are incurred within three years of the dissolution or reorganization.

       98.22(2) Appropriate uses of categorical funding. Appropriate uses of the unexpended general fund balance include a transfer from the general fund to the capital projects fund in the amount approved by the school budget review committee. The moneys in the capital projects fund shall be used exclusively for furnishing, equipping or constructing a new building or for demolishing an unused building.

       98.22(3) Inappropriate uses of categorical funding. Inappropriate uses of the unexpended general fund balance include, but are not limited to, expenditures for salaries or recurring costs.

       98.22(4) Mandatory reversion of unused funding. The portion of the unexpended general fund balance which is authorized to be transferred and expended shall increase budget authority. However, any part of the amount not actually spent for the authorized purpose shall revert to its former status as part of the unexpended general fund balance, and budget authority will be reduced by the amount not actually spent.

[ARC 8054B, IAB 8/26/09, effective 9/30/09]