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09/24/2018 12:00 AMThe preliminary results of a forensic analysis requested by the Board of Education (BOE) in December 2017 have been made public, revealing several discrepancies in the district’s budget. The audit was recommended by the BOE’s lawyer, Thomas Mooney, to investigate the $918,000 overspending that occurred in the BOE’s 2015-’16 budget.
The BOE made the decision to release the current findings of the forensic analysis by a motion of 5 to 4. BOE member Thomas Hennessey argued that “the report is incomplete and does not represent the full scope of the audit,” according to the Sept. 19 minutes. The vote passed when other members cited the need for transparency and Mooney suggested that its release would not affect the investigation going forward.
The analysis conducted by Forensic Accounting Services, LLC, found “significant control deficiencies in various district practices” ranging from inadequate accounting protocols to unnecessary spending.
Among several areas of concern, the report calls into question the services of Complete Sewer and Drain, LLC, an East Haven business owned by schools maintenance director Vinny Consiglio.
The accountants “identified that there was no independent sign off on the invoices verifying that the work was performed…and no independent determination that the work was required to be performed.”
The company, which was invoiced for maintenance and the cleaning of the middle school’s grease trap, has been determined unnecessary for the school and its work has been terminated.
In the event of future drain services, the accountants “recommend that the district retain the services of a company that is independent of any employee of the East Haven Public Schools,” the report says.
Attention was also paid to the Little Jackets program, a pre-school program run by the district.
The accountants found that a Sam’s Club membership registered to the program incurred $1,586 in fees, interest, and credit limit charges from January 2015 to March 2018.
According to the report, “the Sam’s Club account was used both for purchases associated with Little Jackets, as well as personal purchases with no business purpose.”
The account has since been closed.
As part of its analysis, the firm provided the BOE with recommendations to correct and prevent future problems including instructions on proper documentation and filings.
“As a result of the forensic analysis conducted by an auditor and proposed recommendations, the district will continue to investigate the findings,” BOE Chair Michele DeLucia told the Courier.
DeLucia declined to discuss reports of two district employees being placed on leave.