Blog

By Bob Lindsey

   Mark Behlmann, Hazelwood School Board president, and Superintendent Nettie Collins-Hart, said they support the recent state audit of the Hazelwood School, and have already made changes and will implement more. Both said they agreed with most of the audits findings, but defended a few matters they said was warranted

They answered questions at a press conference last Friday at the district administration building about findings of the audit and procedures to fix budget discrepancies.

“The audit provided us with good information and recommendations…. we will pay attention to that” said Collins-Hart who has been superintendent for a year adding that “most recommendations have to be approved by the board.”

“I support the audit and the board will work to every item that needs to be addressed,” Behlmann said.

Some of the discrepancies cited by state Auditor Nichole Galloway included:

• The district gained $95,000 in state funding in 2017 because attendance figures reported 14,787 attendance hours at four schools, but the schools were credited with full attendance days even though some students cut class or arrived late.
• A former assistant principal , who resigned in October, had stolen up to $8,175 from Hazelwood Central High School. She paid back a little over $3,000, not the full amount, because it was determined there was no clear evidence that the full amount was taken by her.
• The audit found that the district lacked accounting practices for receipts, deposits, records and segregation accounting practices. The district will review and expand the policies and financial procedures.
• The district had no internal auditor to check the auditing, but the district will appoint someone to do this.

Behlmann and the superintendent did comment and gave reasons for some of the things the district did.

• The district had purchased 16,000 Chromebooks for $4.5 million without a proper bid process. They contend the district wasn’t required to seek bids because the Chromebooks were purchased under a state contract.
• A $200 check written to Trinity High School was written for a charity auction, but should have been listed under category such as advertising. Behlmann said with Trinity being in only Catholic High School in North County they assist each other.
• A $1,300 charge for a security guard to drive two board members and the superintendent the a conference at the Lake of the Ozarks was warranted because physical limitations and assistance the two board members needed.

Galloway praised the district for taking the audit “seriously” and already working on her recommendations for changes.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us