| Author
|
Post |
 
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
Audit says former Flint superintendent was overpaid by New York school district
Posted by Melissa Burden | The Flint Journal November 29, 2007 15:00PM
FALLSBURG, N.Y. -- A New York state audit released Wednesday claims Flint's controversial former schools superintendent was overpaid more than $44,000 in salary, moving expenses and other reimbursements when he led a southern New York school district.
That New York district now hopes to recover tens of thousands of dollars from Walter Milton Jr. and other employees the audit identified who were overpaid or received funds improperly.
Milton was superintendent of the Fallsburg Central School District from July 2003 until he came to Flint in fall 2005. He left Flint officially June 30 for a superintendent post in Springfield, Ill., following a stormy tenure.
The results of the audit released Wednesday by the office of the New York state comptroller says that there were "extensive problems with district operations" from July 1, 2004, through May 8, 2006.
Milton, reached late Wednesday, said the audit has "no rate of validity at all. This is old news. This has been covered. There is nothing there."
He referred questions to his New York state attorney, who The Journal could not reach for comment.
The audit reviewed financial controls and transactions related to Milton and educational consulting firm Gateway Learning Inc., which was headed by former Flint schools administrator Julius B. Anthony. Milton and Anthony also once ran a business together.
The audit report said that the Fallsburg Board of Education did not establish controls to ensure Milton was paid within the board-approved contract and failed to prevent him from initiating or allowing "improper payments to himself or others."
Among the findings:
• Milton was overpaid a total of $44,457 in salary, moving expenses, unused vacation days, and other payments from July 1, 2003, through Sept. 30, 2005. The majority, $35,043, was related to nonpayroll payments and $9,414 was in salary overpayments, such as unused vacation time.
• Included in the overpayments was $7,000 Milton charged to a district credit card for personal expenses. He has reimbursed the district $2,375 but still owes $4,625 for purchases such as restaurant meals, gasoline, car washes, and oil changes for his personal vehicle, cellphone charges, and video and car rentals.
• In addition, the audit says there were $17,810 in purchases that Milton made on the district credit card that the district could not provide receipts or other documentation for.
• Fallsburg did not conduct a fingerprint background check on Anthony when he was hired as a consultant, violating New York state law and "put students' welfare in jeopardy."
• A contract to Gateway Learning was not competitively bid, as district policy required, and was granted on Milton's recommendation. Anthony was paid nearly $5,700 in reimbursements that were not in his contract.
Ivan Katz, Fallsburg's superintendent since August 2006, said the district would try to recover money in question.
"We are looking to recoup every expense coming to us and we're working closely with our attorney to do that within the perimeters of the law," Katz said, adding the district has corrected all state-identified management issues.
Katz said the district also might try to seek nonapproved expenses from Anthony.
Anthony earlier this month was sentenced to 5 years in prison and 10 years' on probation for a 1996 child molestation case in Georgia.
He resigned from his Flint schools' executive post in September 2006 after a background check unveiled a sexual battery conviction stemming from the 1996 incident. Anthony had worked in Flint as a consultant from December 2005 until July 2006 before he was hired into the executive job.
Flint Board of Education President Vera J. Perry declined comment on the audit because she had not seen the report.
_________________
Source:
http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/newsnow/2007/11/audit_says_former_flint_superi.html
Accessed: November 29, 2007 |
|
|
Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:44 pm |
|
|
00SL2
F L I N T O I D
|
| Has the Flint School District done an audit for the period of time those two dudes were here? |
|
|
|
Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:21 am |
|
|
last time here
Guest
|
honestly, they are probably afraid to see the numbers. milton was a
charlatan who tricked the whole board. too many times these people assume
because a candidate has a boatload of education, they are a
gift from god. i think he bamboozled them with flash like a good
plaid coat wearing used car salesman. they got duped. again, i believe
that ms.thompson will do a great job if she remains separate from
the board...the board has to assume much more of the financial aspect
of the system. they must demand audits, look at the books and question
motives. proactivity is the key!!  |
_________________
Guest post |
|
|
Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:39 am |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Register
Profile
FlintTalk.com Forum Index
> Political Talk
