Jordan School Board treasurer Deb Pauly spent some time earlier this month training in the district’s financial process with the staff of the district office.

“I was very impressed with the whole procedures,” Pauly said.

Jordan School Board member Sheila Bauer attended her first session of financial training as a new board member.

“I learned that I have a lot to learn,” Bauer said.

I understand that pitchers and catchers report soon, but that’s about as far as I can take my grasp on the supposed pastime of America – baseball.

I come from Wisconsin, where the four seasons are much different than the rest of the nation. While Minnesotans enjoy spring, summer, fall and winter, we in Wisconsin enjoy spring, summer, deer hunting season, and Packer season. Professional baseball – in the form of the Milwaukee Brewers – has always been an afterthought to the green and gold of Lambeau field. I never had a chance to understand baseball.

Jordan Public Schools has won the school finance award from the Minnesota Department of Education for 2007.

The award reflects good bookkeeping and business practices and belongs to the workers in the district office, Superintendent Larry Kauzlarich said. That includes Lorrie Jabs, Rhonda Doeden, and Nancy Goss.

About one quarter of the schools in the state receive the award, Kauzlarich said.

An auditor will be in Jordan this week, checking out the city's finances.

This is standard procedure for the city, which completes an annual audit. Finance Director Tom Nikunen plans to meet with the auditor on Thursday and Friday.

The cost of the audit is roughly $28,000, Nikunen said tonight.