About 1,000 De Soto School District residents who signed a petition seeking a state audit of district finances have gotten their wish, but it will cost the district about $50,000 to $75,000.
“We got a letter yesterday saying we met the requirements for the (petition) signatures and the audit is considered ‘active,’” district mother Christina Kennedy said Tuesday. “They (the State Auditor’s Office) didn’t give us a time frame. Once the audit is considered active, we go in line to whatever audits come before us.”
De Soto Superintendent Josh Isaacson indicated Tuesday he had received notification that a state audit will be done.
“The administration, Board of Education and district are open to the state audit, just as we are open to our yearly audit,” Isaacson said in an email. “It is regrettable that the cost, estimated at $50,000 to $75,000, is the ultimate responsibility of the district.”
Isaacson said in a Tuesday phone interview that school officials are careful with district funds.
“We’re responsible for the taxpayers’ money and are open to any suggestions from the state auditor to continue to be responsible to the taxpayers,” he said.
School board president Jeff Russell, who had not yet heard about the audit on Tuesday, said he does not fear a study of district financial records.
“We welcome them (the State Auditor’s Office) to come in and do the audit.”
Kennedy said she and others who collected signatures knew about the potential costs to the district, but feel the audit will be worth the money.
“We’re excited that they get in here and look at the district’s budgets and get us back on track,” she said.
Kennedy said her group spent much of the summer gathering the required number of signatures (10 percent of the number of people in the district who voted in the November 2016 gubernatorial election). They learned they needed 770 valid signatures and turned in more than 990 to the state.
After receiving an audit request, the State Auditor’s Office has signatures checked by the election authority in the county where the request originates.
Jeannie Goff, chief of staff for the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office, said the office received the petition on Oct. 6 and sent it back to the State Auditor’s Office on Oct. 10, after certifying 792 signatures.
“We started with 951 signatures after some were initially thrown out,” Goff said. “Those with incomplete information were not even considered. They ended with 792 valid signatures.”
Kennedy said her group initially formed to fight for reinstatement of former Vineland Elementary School principal Adam Grindstaff but switched to requesting the audit after their questions regarding Grindstaff’s departure raised financial questions. Grindstaff left his position in late April. District officials said he resigned, while Grindstaff’s attorney said he was fired.
Isaacson has disputed the group’s financial assertions and said petitioners might be confused about budgeting for bond issue projects, which can make one year’s budget appear to be inflated over a year when no such projects are done.
He said the district does not have anything to hide.
“We are always open and transparent by inviting patrons to our board meetings, district planning meetings and any requested individual meetings,” he said in the email.
Kennedy said Grindstaff is pursuing reinstatement through a lawsuit. The district filed to have the case thrown out and a hearing regarding that request is scheduled for Nov. 17 at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Hillsboro.