School district loses longtime financial manager
JANESVILLE — The Janesville School District is losing its expert in school budgeting.
Longtime district comptroller Lauri Clifton will leave in early November to become the business manager of the Waukesha School District, Superintendent Karen Schulte said Friday.
Janesville lost its longtime business manager, Doug Bunton, to retirement in June. Bunton was Clifton’s immediate superior.
The school board hired Keith Pennington to replace Bunton and renamed the position “chief financial officer.”
Schulte said Pennington will hire a second-in-command, but what that position will be called and what duties will be assigned to it are still being considered.
Schulte said Clifton will be in Janesville as the school board wraps up its work on the 2009-10 budget and tax levy this month.
Schulte expressed confidence in Pennington’s abilities to handle district finances.
Pennington has handled budgets larger than the school district’s in the private sector, Schulte said, adding that Pennington is not as familiar with school finance but is learning fast.
“Lauri has provided such valuable service to the district and carries a lot of history,” Schulte said. “I wish her well. I’m glad she’s stepping up into that kind of leadership position. She deserves it.”
The school board eliminated another position in the business department this year, that of manager of buildings and grounds. Others in the department have assumed those duties.
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Oct 12, 2009 at 6:42 p.m.
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the ship is sinking, the smart ones bail out, for a new ship. the rest sit there bailing the water and hoping the ship wont sink. good luck on your new adventures.
Oct 11, 2009 at 8:19 p.m.
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I think SarahB1 has a good point. I don't know whether Clifton was an applicant denied during the hiring process but it certainly suggests she felt ready for a move up and Janesville could not offer it to her. In the corporate world these moves happen all the time and you don't have threads in the local paper about it. Good luck, onward and upward.
Oct 11, 2009 at 8:07 p.m.
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SarahB -- I agree with your comments. Right or wrong, this is fairly typical...although the swiftness of the "exodus" is staggering.
Oct 11, 2009 at 3:40 p.m.
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This resembles what tends to happen when a new leader comes on board at many agencies, businesses, etc. I don't know if it is the case here, but when someone's heart is no longer in it why bother to urge them to stay?
Oct 11, 2009 at 9:33 a.m.
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Evert, Carlson, Johnson, Bunton, Salerno, and now Clifton are off the sinking ship! Who will be next? Wonder if the new Studer (school board) Group has anything to do with it. I've heard others in the district are looking elsewhere as well. What's the school boards' thoughts on all these great leaders leaving? They love when older teachers retire so they can save money on hiring newbees!
Oct 11, 2009 at 6:39 a.m.
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Good luck Lauri. You will truly be missed.
Oct 11, 2009 at 6:39 a.m.
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It's not Karen Schulte cleaning house, it's people jumping off of a sinking ship.
Oct 11, 2009 at 12:45 a.m.
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Devilsadvocate ... dead on
Oct 11, 2009 at 12:29 a.m.
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This is what happens when you fail to promote good people you have on board, instead hiring from outside. Lauri will do a fantastic job for her new employer. Janesville's loss.
Oct 11, 2009 at 12:24 a.m.
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Is Karen Schulte done cleaning house yet?!
Oct 11, 2009 at 12:23 a.m.
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When is this community going to realize what is going on in this school district??? The Superintendent...the School Board...some people need to wake up. We are losing very valuable people.
Oct 10, 2009 at 6:46 p.m.
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Best of luck Lauri. You will be wonderful at your new job. I hope your new district appreciates your talent.
Oct 10, 2009 at 5:41 p.m.
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Lauri is truly going to be missed. She was an extremely valuable asset to the JSD. Too bad some of the new people don't know that ....but they will when it's too late to try and keep her. Congrats Lauri - you'll be fabulous at your new job!
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