Using an early warning tool, South Whidbey School District’s new business manager, Ben Thomas, expects to alleviate future errors in the district’s budget.p “Errors can be small or large. But when they occur, they impact people. My job is to prevent them from occurring, or to keep them at an acceptable level,” Thomas said.p The early warning tool is a spreadsheet form — which Thomas described as user friendly — to be used by the board and central administration to track district revenue, payroll and expenditures.p “Fluctuations between the previous year and the current year will be immediately apparent,” Thomas said.p In addition, more reporting will be required by everyone responsible for a budget.p “We will be holding everybody, at the building and program level, accountable for their budgets,” Thomas said.p While Thomas has rolled up his sleeves working on the checks and balances, state and independent auditors are in the office going through the books.p The first report on the 2002-03 fund balance by the firm Moss Adams, hired by the board, will be Monday during the workshop at the South Whidbey Intermediate School.p Thomas, like everyone else, is waiting to hear the results.p He admits it has been a challenge coming onboard when the district was facing a fund balance error of $369,000 and is undergoing two audits.p “But it’s a challenge, I welcome. As the new kid on the block — standing on point — I believe it is imperative that all us with the ability to have an impact do so and act with best interests of South Whidbey schools and students,” Thomas said.p Thomas’ other goal is to help ensure the district meets it’s targeted fund balance of $463,000 next year.