FOR RELEASE:

Comptroller DiNapoli Releases School Audits

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced his office completed audits of the Cortland Enlarged City School District and the Pawling Central School District.

“My office’s audits of school districts, charter schools and BOCES help schools improve their financial management practices,” DiNapoli said. “These audits are tools for schools to make sure proper policies and procedures are in place to protect taxpayer dollars and provide students with the best possible education.”

Cortland Enlarged City School District – Oversight of Financial Operations (Cortland County)
The former district superintendent and director of business services did not provide sufficient oversight over the district’s financial operations. Business office staff performed incompatible duties without management’s sufficient oversight or control. District staff failed to file claims with Medicaid and bill home districts for students residing in foster care settings within the district. Auditors estimate the lost revenue for non-resident tuition to be $52,000.

Pawling Central School District – Selected Financial Operations (Dutchess County)
The school board did not provide adequate oversight of the district’s capital projects and tax certiorari reserve funds. District officials overfunded the high school roof project and burdened district taxpayers with $1.3 million in unnecessary borrowing. Further, the district paid approximately $579,300 in tax certiorari claims from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2012 from the general fund instead of using the tax certiorari reserve. We also found that the district’s audit committee acted outside the scope of its authority and withheld information from the board.