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Hernando Today

School CFO Settles In

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By TONY MARRERO

Hernando Today

Published: March 14, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - The bookshelves in Desiree Henegar's new office have been purged and tidied.

Her mother, nieces and nephews smile at her from photos tacked to a filing cabinet.

And a small fairy figurine with iridescent wings sits perched atop a rock carved with the inspirational motto: "Wish it, dream it, do it."

Henegar, the school district's new chief financial officer, will likely need all the inspiration she can get as the district wrestles with a nightmarish financial picture.
Henegar started Monday and spent the first week settling into her new office and meeting new co-workers. Superintendent Wayne Alexander dropped in a couple of times to check on her, she met school board member John Sweeney in the hall, and the vibe has been pretty relaxed so far.

She says she knows that won't last.

The legislature was expected Friday to announce the latest budget forecast, and early estimates indicated a deeper hole than expected for this year and next.

That does not bode well for education, and it will be Henegar's job to crunch the numbers and present what could be an even grimmer picture to the school board. The board, which has already approved in principle nearly $16 million in cuts for the 2009-10 fiscal year, pushed back its budget workshop one week to Monday, March 23 so they would be armed with the latest figures.

"They expect a lot from me, and I'll do my best to deliver," she said.
Henegar has experience bearing bad news. She most recently served as an assistant budget director for Sarasota County schools, and last year presented that school board with $40 million in cuts.

Before that, she worked in the budget office for Manatee County schools.

Henegar's familiarity with the state's Department of Education was among the factors school officials said made her an attractive candidate. She used her connections this week try to get an early heads-up on the budget picture this week, though she hadn't heard back by Friday.

"Probably the most prudent action is to give (the board) the worst case scenario and plan accordingly," she said.
Henegar said she knows the stakes are high.

"Budget cuts do affect the classroom. That's hurtful I'm sure to the superintendent and the board members, and it is to me as well," she said.
Henegar said she'll be proposing a tactic taken by the Manatee district. The budget office there prepares an easily digestible report for the public that summarizes the budget situation and suggested cuts, then solicits feedback.

"They're very aggressive in working with the community and getting the word out," she said.

Denise Coit, the district's accounting manager, said she feels comfortable with Henegar at the helm.

"I think her knowledge and her disposition will fit in well in this district," Coit said.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernandotoday.com.

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