SELBYVILLE, Del. - The Indian River School District is taking another step to increase transparency in their financial processes.

The district is re-introducing the Citizens Budget Oversight Committee, where ten people in the community will meet with the superintendent and director of finance to review all documents related to the district's budget. Steele says this is a program the state recommends, and he's excited for it to return to Indian River.

"Sometimes when you get just school people, you kinda focus on certain items," he says. "The community is that extra layer of oversight so you don't miss anything, and also to give you ideas that may be out of the box. Something that may work in their line of work that we could introduce here that would help us with our budgeting."

Steele says the committee will meet four times a year, and eventually he hopes they have joint meetings with the Board of Education. Steele says this committee is one of the three priorities he has to strengthen the district's relationship with the community, especially in light of last year's financial audit.

"If you want to build community, you've got to build a lot of things. You've got to build your community trust with your financial structure and I think you've got to build community with your business structure," he says. "The next two things I want to target: one is to bring in a business round table of local businesses who we can have discussions with and the third thing will be our strategic comprehensive plan."

Once the committee is selected, Steele says they members are trained by the state.

According to the district's website, Citizens interested in serving on the committee must submit the following by April 24, 2017:

A letter of interest stating their reason for wanting to serve.

A Citizens Budget Oversight Committee membership application (available at irsd.net).

A resume listing their experience and qualifications for serving.

References that can attest to their educational/financial knowledge and/or community involvement.

Documents should be sent to Superintendent Mark Steele, Indian River School District, 31 Hosier Street, Selbyville, DE 19975 or mark.steele@irsd.k12.de.us.

For more on the committee, click here.