Selma School Board told to get focused
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Selma Times-Journal
State officials have no evidence of illegal misspending in the Selma City School District, but some errors in bookkeeping have occurred.
Selma City School Board members received this report from Craig Pouncey, director of administration and finance for the state Department of Education.
Pouncey&8217;s meeting and declaration comes on the heels of a demand for a forensic audit by at least one school board member.
The district&8217;s problem seems to be a lack of cooperation in the central office among employees and a lack of focus by school board members, Pouncey said.
And, he warned, both had better correct themselves because state funding for education will become less within the next two years.
Barbara Hiouas, a school board member, believes Selma&8217;s situation is &8220;even more dire because I think our tax revenue will be lower.&8221;
Most local funding for the school district comes from property taxes and sales tax revenue.
In fiscal 2006, that amounted to $2.8 million in property tax and $500,000 in sales tax, according to Pouncey.
To ensure the city district gets its share of state money, it will have to turn in reports on time and ensure that those reports are accurate.