Open Letter to School Board Member John Dick
John:
According to a report in this week’s Keynoter, you are not supportive of hiring Latour “LT” Lafferty to investigate the financial fiasco in the HOB daycare program. If not Lafferty, who would you recommend and support the investigation?
The School District clearly is unable to resolve what became of the missing $20,000 and who is responsible. The District has taken two shots at the problem, one by the Finance Department and one by the King & Walker auditing firm. Neither effort was successful and the public remains wondering what happened to the $20,000 and on whose watch did it go missing.
Clearly, there needs to be an independent investigation. Your recommendation that the Board “ask questions and find out what’s going on before we start spending money” will not, I do not think, achieve the objective. While I am loath to spend money unnecessarily, I have to agree with Board Chairman Andy Griffiths when he says that “We have to have accountability….” I do not believe that, as Griffiths opines, that the District “can afford to go cheap on accountability.”
I think you would agree that this unresolved financial scandal has a very negative effect on the District’s public reputation and may well influence votes in the spring election regarding funding for District operations. The sooner that there is clarity, the better it will be for all involved.
Again, if you do not want Latour “LT” Lafferty to conduct the investigation, then who do you recommend?
Dr. Larry Murray
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After listening to today’s news reports and Superintendent Porter’s interview with Bill Becker on “Morning Magazine”, it looks pretty certain that the Superintendent will be reprimanded, possibly put on probation, at Tuesday’s Board meeting. What kind of investigation will be conducted remains to be seen. Sources tell me that Superintendent Porter has identified and will recommend hiring a forensic auditor. That is a great first step, but a thorough investigation needs to follow. Latour “L.T.” Lafferty remains the best candidate for that job.