Business Office

The Business Office is responsible for budgeting, accounting, payroll, financial reporting, and statistical data.

Business Office Staff:

Jon Galbraith Chief Financial/Operating Officer (319) 447-3008 / Email	Cortnee Hemesath Business Services Supervisor (319) 730-3673 / Email	Laura Pearson Payroll/Benefits Manager (319) 447-3018 / Email
Sandy Clabough Accounts Payable (319) 447-3010 / Email	Jen Mittan Payroll/Benefits Technician (319) 447-3146 / Email	Tracy Ramos Payroll/Benefits Technician (319) 447-3011 / Email
Jennifer Dirks Accounts Receivable/Total Access (319) 730-3541 / Email	Sarah Offerman Administrative Assistant, Facilities Rentals, & LRC Receptionist (319) 447-3145 / Email	Address: 2999 N 10th Street Marion, IA 52302 Fax: 319-403-8007

Annual Financial Reports

The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, or CAFR, is a complete audited financial statement of the district. It shows the overall financial picture and health of the school district, including financial statements, net assets, balance sheets and profit/loss statements. It includes a report by an independent auditor. Since 2005, Linn-Mar Community School District has been presented the annual Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International.

Iowa Department of Education Financial Report Card Online.

Certified Annual Budget

In accordance with the Code of Iowa, the Board of Education annually adopts a budget following the required public notice and hearing for all funds, except blended component units, internal service funds and trust and agency funds. The budget may be amended during the year utilizing similar statutorily prescribed procedures. Iowa school districts prepare their budgets on the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) basis.

Formal and legal budgetary control for the Certified Budget are based on four major classes of expenditures known as functional areas, not by fund or fund type. These four functional areas are instruction, support services, non-instructional programs and other expenditures. Although the budget document presents functional area expenditures or expenses by fund, the legal level of control is at the aggregated functional area level, not at the fund or fund type level. The Code of Iowa also provides that district expenditures in the General Fund may not exceed the amount authorized by the Iowa School Finance Formula.

Proposed Property Tax Notice

FY2025

School Finance Matters

Key Finance Ideas for Iowa Schools

Iowa school finance is based on the number of students we have in our district. The total amount of money our district has is determined primarily by the number of children enrolled here. Except for a few specific tax levies dedicated to specific purposes, the state prohibits us from raising as much local money as we might otherwise want to fund our school district.
Annually, the Iowa Legislature establishes the District’s general fund budget growth rate. This is called the supplemental state aid percentage.
Our district’s tax rate is primarily set by the school aid formula. There are only limited steps a school district can take to increase or decrease the property tax rate.
Certain funds have to be spent on certain things. Each tax levy has a limited purpose and the general fund is for everything else. Although it may not make sense that we have enough money to pave a parking lot or buy a computer, but not enough money to hire teachers (or vice versa), that’s the way the state law works.
Schools are a labor-intensive business: about 80 percent of a district’s General Fund is made up of staff salary costs and benefits.