Springfield school board initiates response to state audit | Schools

Springfield school board initiates response to state audit | Schools

The Springfield school board initiated its official response to the state audit Tuesday by directing Superintendent Norm Ridder to develop an action plan.

To create that framework, board members pointed out areas where they want answers.

“Until we have information from staff on the cost, feasibility and legality in some cases of these items, I don’t think we as a board can make those decisions,” said Board President Tom Prater. “…We take this seriously and we want to do the right thing but now we have to get some information.”

The board devoted 25 minutes to the audit during its first meeting since the Friday’s public release of the audit. They will outline some priorities during the March 27 meeting.

Prater kicked off the requests by asking for Ridder to provide a “budget estimate for and time frame of” hiring an internal auditors. Others backed that step.

He also asked for a list of policies that need to be reviewed and beefed up so they’re in line with the best practices .

Board member Kris Callen wanted more details about existing cash controls, the process for issuing manual checks, rationale for what gets bid and what doesn’t, and policies that address real estate transactions.

She has received at least 10 calls from district patrons about the audit, which identified 14 areas of concern and recommended 51 changes.

“The reaction has just run the whole gambit in terms of people who think it’s ridiculous and witch hunt to people who are convinced that there’s still fraud that hasn’t been discovered,” Callen said. “As a board member, it’s my responsibility to take both of those emotions out of the discussion and get to the facts.”

She said the board must address what it can control, including compliance with the Sunshine Law.

“As board members that’s where we — I’ll say I — bear the greatest responsibility in terms of making sure that the deficiencies that were identified there are rectified,” she said.

The board asked for a streamlined list, essentially a scorecard, for any recommended change the district has not agreed to fully implement. The final audit report lists changes that have been made.

“I’d like a shortened version of the issues that are kind of still out there,” said board member Andy Hosmer. “I come from the standpoint of whether or not this was worth the $180,000 (audit fee) and all the time is water under the bridge. Let’s move forward and get as much good out of what’s been done as possible.”

Hosmer said the audit should also be a “springboard” for the board to review “bigger issues” pointed out by auditors.

Board members Bruce Renner and Denise Fredrick expressed unease at some of the “vague” language in district responses to specific recommendations.

“If we’re going to do something different, I’m interested why,” he said.

Board member Gerry Lee said now is the time for action. He said some items can be fixed quickly and others will take more time and discussion.

“We have a good audit, a lot of things in there we can really build upon and improve our processes and become more efficient and more effective,” Lee said. “We need to be doing that. We need to get out of the political rhetoric now and put that aside and separate the two. Now it’s time to take the audit and use what’s in it to help our kids.”