[SchoolFinance] [EXT] Payroll/HR

Fri Feb 6 14:15:25 EST 2026

Thanks for all the input.  It is very much appreciated.

Carrie

On Fri, Feb 6, 2026 at 11:27 AM Peggy McKenzie <pmckenzie at sad55.org> wrote:

> Hi Carrie,
>
> MSAD 55 consists of about 1000 students PK-12, 3 schools and our Central
> Office staff housed in the MS. We used Profund and Frontline for Absence
> Management/Time & Attendance. I have not heard of anyone
> successfully outsourcing Payroll with all of the MEPERS rules.
>
> Our Central Office Staff:
>
> The Superintendent's Administrative Assistant offers support to me and our
> Curriculum Coordinator as well. She also handles FMLA paperwork, WC
> paperwork and reporting, and various NEO reporting.
>
> AP/AR clerk who does all of the payables, check printing and recording of
> all deposits (including student activity). Will be training as payroll back
> up soon.
>
> We have a very PT Payroll person who is also a computer Ed Tech for the
> district. She spends about 4 days of the 10 day pay cycle in payroll
> processing payroll and creating the upload to OMNI for our 403b
> contributions. We lost our full time payroll clerk about three years ago
> and could not fill that position no matter how hard we tried. I was doing
> it full time for about a year and then we decided to take the part time
> approach so I had some to at least do the entry part. It has been helpful
> but I would LOVE to have someone else reconciling MSRS, Anthem, blah, blah.
>
> All other payroll duties (ProFund set up, Frontline entry, deduction
> checks, MSRS, all benefit set up) are on my plate. Like Katie all of the
> grant billing, taxes, and financial uploads are also my duties. Lots of
> late nights and Sundays are spent working for sure.
>
> We do break out our budget entry a little. There are 5 of us that all have
> a piece of creating the budget requests and then review together to put the
> whole picture together. Me, Curriculum Coordinator, Special Ed Secretary,
> Superintendent & Admin Asst do the position budgeting
>
>
> Peggy McKenzie
> MSAD 55 Accounting Office Manager
> Phone: (207) 625-2490 x1126
> Fax: (207) 625-7065
>
>
> On Fri, Feb 6, 2026 at 10:42 AM Katie Gourley <katie.gourley at rsu25.org>
> wrote:
>
>>  We had looked into outsourcing a few years ago, but they were just not
>> able to handle MainePers. If it was simple like everyone just had one code
>> and never got paid for anything else I think it would be able to be done.
>> But, with all the different Mainepers rules and what is eligible and what
>> is not it just seemed too complicated.
>>
>> Currently systems being used in Business Office: School ERP and Red Rover
>> (Time, Attendance, and Sub notification)
>> Our office covers about 1000 students, 4 schools and a service center.
>> Payroll is roughly 275-300 employees a payperiod between school/service
>> center.
>>
>> In our office we have:
>> HR/Data Specialist - she handles all the benefit enrollments, workers
>> comp, fmla, she does the badging and setting up staff when hired in ERP,
>> Red Rover and all other systems used throughout the district.  student/neo
>> reports, staffing reports, helps with infinite campus set up ex: grade
>> book, calendars, etc. and anything else the Tech Director needs help.
>>
>> Accounts Payable: She does AP and backs up the admin assistant if she is
>> out or tied up doing something.
>>
>> Admin Assistant: She helps the entire Central Office, Myself,
>> Superintendent, Curriculum Coordinator. Working on training her to do some
>> of the payroll pieces.
>>
>> Business Manager: Payroll, Grant tracking/reimbursements, maintaining Red
>> Rover and ERP, Budgeting, ...you know all things money :)  I would love to
>> give up payroll. It just takes away so much of my time I would say 5-6 days
>> a month I am only doing payroll/mainepers.
>>
>> Also this year Food Service is falling to HR and myself. HR handles all
>> personnel issues etc and I do all things financial/reporting.
>>
>>
>> I would love to know what other business managers are doing. I know it is
>> this time of year but I feel like I am barely keeping my head above water
>> and that is working weekends and nights.
>>
>> Katie Gourley
>> RSU 25
>> Business Manager
>> 207-469-7311
>> katie.gourley at rsu25.org <katie at rsu25.org>
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 5, 2026 at 11:08 AM Carrie Colley <c.colley at msad17.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Good Morning,
>>> I have a couple of questions regarding payroll staffing and outsourcing:
>>>
>>> 1.  Has anyone looked at outsourcing payroll?
>>> 2.  What size is your district and how many staff are in the payroll and
>>> HR positions for payroll/benefits/workers compensation/fmla employee
>>> related activities?
>>>
>>> Does anyone know of a retired or payroll experienced person who might be
>>> willing to help out a school district until they can hire a payroll
>>> specialist?
>>>
>>> Thanks for any input.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Carrie Colley
>>> Director of Finance & Operations
>>> M.S.A.D. #17
>>> 232 Main Street, Suite 2
>>> South Paris, Maine 04281
>>> 207-743-8972
>>> 207-743-2878 (Fax)
>>> c.colley at msad17.org
>>> This is a staff email account managed by Oxford Hills School District -
>>> MSAD 17.  This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
>>> intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are
>>> addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the
>>> sender.
>>> <c.colley at msad17.org>
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>>
>>
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>
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-- 
Carrie Colley
Director of Finance & Operations
M.S.A.D. #17
232 Main Street, Suite 2
South Paris, Maine 04281
207-743-8972
207-743-2878 (Fax)
c.colley at msad17.org
This is a staff email account managed by Oxford Hills School District -
MSAD 17.  This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are
addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the
sender.
<c.colley at msad17.org>
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