The DeKalb County school board took a step Monday toward addressing a major concern of an accrediting agency: its fiscal deficit.

The school district ended fiscal year 2012 in June with a $14.5 million deficit. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools noted the deficit spending in a December report when it put DeKalb on probation.

The probation decision led to a possible announcement from Gov. Nathan Deal today: he could suspend the six board members who were in office last year.

Monday morning, at their 15th meeting of the year and just hours before an expected Deal news conference, the nine members of the school board voted unanimously to pay down the deficit over four years. The annual payments of $3.6 million are about a half percent of the $730 million operating budget.

The school board barely met a state-imposed deadline. The Georgia Department of Education gave DeKalb until today to submit the deficit elimination plan.

Were Deal to suspend the six board members, the board would be unable to conduct business. District policy says the board needs five members present to hold a meeting.

Board member Marshall Orson hinted at the need to get the deficit elimination plan signed before any action by Deal.

“I just want to be sure we do so on a timely basis,” Orson said. He shot a glance at his colleague, Nancy Jester, who is on the list of six recommended for suspension by the Georgia Board of Education. “That’s now, right?”

After an executive session meeting with lawyers, the board emerged and voted unanimously to settle a lawsuit. The case was a sideline to a multimillion dollar lawsuit involving former construction manager Heery/Mitchell. Heery agreed to settle a companion case it brought over an open records dispute, and the school board ratified the settlement in a 9-0 vote, also agreeing not to seek attorney’s fees.

The board also voted to change the date of their Mar. 4 work session, combining it with their Mar. 11 business meeting — in case the governor suspends six members leaving the board with no quorum to meet.