By:Nick Buglione
Comptroller Alan Hevesi announced in a press conference Tuesday that East Meadow would be among 19 Long Island school districts audited in the wake of the recent financial improprieties discovered in the Roslyn and William Floyd districts.
Four districts will be audited in depth, while the comptrollerÕs office will examine administrative spending, such as credit card use, meals and travel expenses, in East Meadow and 14 other districts, Hevesi said.
ÒI promised three weeks ago that by the beginning of August, my office would begin five school-district audits on Long Island in response to the scandals in the Roslyn and William Floyd school districts,Ó Hevesi said. ÒI believe that most school-district officials are honest, hard-working professionals, and most schools are well managed. But the public clearly needs assurance that their school dollars are being spent properly.Ó
In September 2002, the comptroller initiated an East Meadow School District audit for the 2001-02 school year, after receiving numerous complaints from concerned residents about the districtÕs financial practices. Allegations of fiscal mismanagement began to surface the spring before the audit started, while the school districtÕs controversial 2002-03 budget was being hotly debated in the community. Under the 2002-03 budget, the East Meadow district raised taxes nearly 10 percent and cut programs and staff in the face of revenue shortfalls.
The 15-page audit of 2001-02 found that officials inappropriately spent $8,200 on meals and about $1,500 on unauthorized side trips and airline tickets for spouses to attend conferences.
The district also failed to follow its own policy on obtaining three competitive quotes for purchases and public-work contracts ranging between $1,000 and $19,999 in six randomly selected cases, the audit found. State auditors also said that administrators failed to keep tabs on purchased laptop computers, when only six of 19 laptops chosen for examination were immediately available at the school indicated on inventory lists.
Considering that it has a budget of well over $100 million, school district officials felt that the relatively minor findings vindicated it of any financial mismanagement allegations.
ÒThereÕs no audit that doesnÕt make recommendations,Ó said Leon Campo, East Meadow School District assistant superintendent for finance and administration. ÒWeÕre honest, and weÕre not afraid to benefit from a recommendation if itÕs a good one. WeÕve made tremendous progress in those areas.Ó
Campo said the district has since modified its travel and meals policies, and welcomed the comptrollerÕs taking another look at its spending practices. ÒI really feel we couldnÕt be in a better place in terms of fiscal controls,Ó Campo said, adding that the district has its own private auditor review its finances on an annual basis.
Robert Zafonte, president of the East Meadow Civic Association and a vocal critic of the school district, maintains that the first audit merely scratched the surface and wrote numerous letters to the comptroller asking that he take a more in-depth look. ÒIÕve been writing letters, as well as other people have been writing letters, asking them to do a forensic audit of at least five years,Ó Zafonte said. ÒThere needs to be some oversight to show the expenditures are justified. The self-auditor is paid by the district, and thereÕs no credibility to that.Ó
Some in the community feel, however, that the school district is being unfairly targeted because a vocal minority has it out for administration. Following the release of the first audit, a Herald investigation revealed that some of the letters that had been sent to the comptroller calling for the examination had been forged. ÒThis was basically insisted upon by individuals in the community, and some things like this get out of control,Ó said Richard Bivone, vice president of the Council of East Meadow Community Organizations. ÒItÕs a very simple issue. If there are irregularities, they need to be corrected. I think we need to put this issue to bed once and for all.Ó
Auditors from the comptrollerÕs office are planning to meet with school district officials to explain the intent of the audit before they start, though that meeting has not yet been set, Campo said.
ÒI guess IÕm surprised that weÕre being audited again, but itÕs fine,Ó said Judy Shiechel, president of the East Meadow PTA Council. ÒI donÕt look at it as a bad thing. In light of what has happened with the Roslyn and William Floyd school districts, thereÕs a real part of me thatÕs glad someoneÕs taken responsibility to ensure watchdogs are put in place. All these school districts are responsible for millions upon millions of dollars.Ó
