By James Lomuscio
UPDATE Westport’s Board of Finance in a special meeting tonight approved a $15,000 request to hire the town’s external auditor to investigate the Board of Education’s $2 million shortfall for 2013-14.
Board of Education Chair Elaine Whitney tells the Board of Finance tonight her board’s efforts to track down the shortfall will not duplicate those of the town’s. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The request came from the Board of Selectman, and the money will be used to engage McGladrey LLP to provide an analysis of school system budgets from 2011 through projections for 2014.
Prior to the vote, finance board members wanted to make sure that the school board did not replicate the study by hiring McGladrey, too, as the school board’s Health Insurance Fund Review Committee conducts its own study.
Elaine Whitney, school board chairwoman, insisted her board would not duplicate the town’s efforts.
“We’re confident we will meet our needs to prepare our budget,” Whitney said about the McGladrey study as it pertains to the school system’s 2014-15 proposed operating budget.
The Board of Education plans to submit it proposed budget for next year to the town Feb. 15.
Whitney said the school board’s review committee, comprised of three board members, Elio Longo, the school system’s business manager, and a citizen volunteer, would work with the schools’ auditor Segal, LLP to determine what happened.
Finance board member Tom Lasersohn noted “it would be useful” for Segal to give any pertinent information to McGladrey “to keep them in the loop.”
According to Board of Finance Chairman John Pincavage, the McGladrey study should be ready by Jan. 21 when the finance and school boards meet.
At its meeting later tonight, the Board of Education added Charles Haberstroh and Kevin Connolly to its subcommittee as “citizen members” investigating the shortfall. Haberstroh, a former selectman, served on the Board of Finance, as did Connolly.
