Dearest Readers,

Nine months of expenditure registers can contain an extraordinary amount of information.

But Lady Budgetdown has learned that sometimes the more interesting story isn't found by examining every expenditure. Sometimes, it is found by asking a few questions about the ones that stand out. 👀

From September 2025 through May 2026, Plymouth-Canton Community Schools' expenditure registers show these among its largest recurring operating vendors:

• Durham School Services — $5.24 million
• ABM Education Services — $2.85 million
• Gen Oil Company — $628,000
• Imperial Dade — $454,000
• Amazon Capital Services — $304,000

Those figures exclude the large bond/construction expenditures we encountered during the review.

And then there was legal spending.

Across six legal vendors, Lady Budgetdown identified approximately $235,201.95 in legal-service expenditures during the nine-month period.

One firm, Collins & Blaha PC, accounted for approximately $189,076 of that total.

And one description caught this lady's attention:

📜 $17,940 - "Excess retainer July 25"

What exactly does "Excess retainer" mean, and what services were included in that payment?

Perhaps a Plymouth-Canton reader knows.

Then there is custodial outsourcing.

The registers show approximately $2.85 million paid to ABM Education Services during the period reviewed.

They also show substantial separate expenditures to Imperial Dade for custodial supplies and equipment, approximately $454,000 during the same nine months.

One September Imperial Dade expenditure for $46,837.53 was described in the register beginning:

"EQUIPMENT-ABM CONTRA..."

That raises another question:

When custodial services are outsourced to ABM, what is included in the contractor's price, and which custodial supplies and equipment remain the responsibility of Plymouth-Canton Community Schools?

Lady Budgetdown does not presume to know the answer.

That is precisely why she asks.

If current or former Plymouth-Canton employees, parents, board members, or community members can provide context — preferably accompanied by a receipt — the ballroom is always open.

With receipts and respect. 🎩📜

#PlymouthCantonSchools #PCCS #SchoolSpending #PublicSchools #TaxpayerTransparency #SchoolFinance #LadyBudgetdown