The auditor’s office stated that in this period, the district delayed recording millions in costs and failed to follow basic financial oversight practices…
On Sept. 20, 2024, the district’s finance office transferred $16.99 million from the Non-Instructional Support Program to the Restart Schools Program. At the time, the source account held just $13.92 million, resulting in an overdraft. By April 30, 2025, the overdraft had grown to $11.34 million.
Auditors also found that the district failed to complete required monthly reconciliations comparing budgeted revenue and expenditures with actual figures, a basic financial control designed to detect problems early.
In another finding, the district’s Board of Education approved a zero-interest internal loan of up to $6 million from the Child Nutrition Fund to cover cash shortfalls. The agreement lacked clear provisions outlining repayment terms, interest or penalties, raising concerns about the integrity of the fund and whether program guidelines were properly followed.
It is no wonder this school system got itself in trouble. They have been poor stewards of the taxpayers’ money.
No one meaningfully held accountable. No penalty for incompetence so breath-taking that it can’t be distinguished from malfeasance from this distance. No claw back from the beneficiaries of the millions taken from the taxpayers. No one cares about the taxpayers. Indeed, the probability is they’ll “fix it” with another tax increase.
J. Sobran, the Carolina Journal article stops short of stating that the money was being stolen. But I wonder about that…
Things are rotten in W-S.
That’s an understatement, Fred. I wonder how much of that money was stolen. That is the “elephant in the room” nobody is discussing.