Public school audits are nothing new to the state auditor's office. But State Auditor Adam Edelen said his office's audit of Fayette County Public Schools has been different.
Edelen said, "This is something unique to Fayette County that we haven't seen in a whole lot of other places is how public the allegations have been which means we've got an obligation to make the findings very public."
The audit started in the Spring. Allegations from the Fayette County district budget director regarding the integrity of the budget process for Fayette County Public Schools. A budget shortfall of $20 million was announced by Superintendent Tom Shelton earlier in the year. The district budget director claimed it was budget mismanagement. Shelton claimed there was no mismanagement. "after seeing the allegations made, certainly disfunction on the school board, we had no choice but to conduct an examination," Edelen explained.
Edelen said he can't release details of the findings, but said the report should "clear the air" and point out specific areas for the school system that need immediate attention.
"It's important that people's reputations be restored if they're cleared. And it's important that people be held to account if there are findings that lead us to another conclusion," Edelen said.
The audit report is expected to be released in mid-September.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
State auditor announces release date for FCPS audit
This from WKYT (video):
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4 comments:
Any predictions? Anyone?
I am pleased it will be released sooner rather than later. I have no predications but, hope it will truly answer the questions and allow us to shift focus back on our kids. This should make the way for Dr. Shelton's evaluation to be completed also. Take those two steps and see where we go next.
My predictions:
$20 million ended up being moved untimely by Rodney Jackson, which caused Tom Shelton to believe more money was available that there actually was. Shelton reorganized Central Office on this premise. Jackson slips by because the documents are conveniently missing.
Shelton gets cut down not because of the $20 million, but because of the issues related to NaviGo and the pay raises to Mary Wright, Vince Mattox and Tanya Dailey. Shelton announces that he won't seek renewal of his contract and takes a job with Gates or DMC.
Auditor cites massive conflicts of interest districtwide, including Roger Cleveland's relationship with the district.
School board found to lack any institutional control over Shelton and is found to be simply disfunctional. Refers them all of them to the Attorney General for removal for malfeasance. Price and Love resign, Bacon rolls her eyes at the charges but somehow manages to stay, Ferguson holds a press conference to defend her actions and Barnett files a lawsuit to fight anything negative about him. Barnett gets to depose anyone he wants, so this gets really interesting when FCPS employees are on the witness list.
Edelen recommends adding two seats to the school board to provide better oversight.
Ferguson whips Murray in the fall elections. Barnett barely defeats Cleveland in a very nasty campaign that is decided by less than 50 votes. A recanvass occurs, but the result holds. Search for new superintendent begins in January 2015. They don't hire a guy from Daviess County this time.
Buckle up! This one gets wild!
I like playing this game -
I predict that the audit will find that instead of a deficit, that due to a simple key punch error, there is actually a $200,000 surplus.
Dr. Shelton will end up being found to have engaged in no transgressions and he will then announce his retirement effective December 31, 2014. From that point post election new and old board members will struggle through multiple years of interims and single year tenures of various replacements. In the absence of any ongoing superintendent to scapegoat, old guard will revert to blaming existing leadership vacuum on Stu.
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