An Ontario auditor has recommended that the province take over a second municipal public school board after its trustees failed to balance its budget.

Provincially-appointed auditor Charles Smedmor called for a supervisor to oversee the finances of Hamilton's public schools after trustees projected a $16 million budget shortfall.

Smedmor blamed the deficit on the trustees themselves.

"The primary cause of the (board's) current financial crisis can be attributed to the trustees' consistent reluctance to both decide to close and ensure the physical closure of schools that are under-utilized," Smedmor said.

"Our analysis and data show that (the board) has more staff than required and has high maintenance costs due to under-utilized schools."

This is the second time this month an auditor has called for an Ontario school board to be stripped of its responsibilities.

Saturday, Education Minister Elizabeth Witmer announced the appointment of a supervisor to oversee the finances of the Ottawa-Carleton school board after it projected a $23 million budget.

The Ottawa trustees will keep their jobs but lose the authority to make financial and administrative decisions.

Witmer says she will review the report and decide later this week whether she will also order a supervisor for Hamilton.

"We're going to talk to the trustees," Witmer said. "We're going to try to reach a resolution."

Ontario law states that school boards are required to submit balanced budgets.

Toronto's school board, the largest in the country, was also awaiting the results of an audit after its trustees submitted a budget showing a deficit of almost $90 million.