The South Country Central School District on Wednesday evening acknowledged spending $3.49 million more than was initially budgeted in last school year's fiscal plan and operated at a $16.2 million deficit.

Treasurer's reports submitted two to three months late to the board of education are among the culprits that lead to the board having to cover "unanticipated expenses," said John Belmonte, the district’s newly appointed acting assistant superintendent for finance and management services at a board of education meeting.

The monthly reports were given to the board "on repeated occasions" with negative balances that should have been covered "beforehand" through balance transfers, board trustee Cheryl Felice said, also at the meeting.

"The signs were there" on May 21, when the board fi

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