BREAKING NEWS: Department of Legislative Services Issues Scathing Audit Report For Wicomico County Public School System - Numerous Infractions Cited

The Maryland Department of Legislative Services just released its latest audit for the Wicomico County Public School System.  The last time the school system was audited was in 2008.

First off - there are so many infractions I don't hardly know where to begin.  But here are some of the highlights:

• WCPS Credit Card Purchases totaled $162,000 from local fast food or restaurant merchants over a 2 year period.   However, the State standard prohibits purchases from restaurants and gift cards.

• Gift card purchases - 250 potential gift cards totaling $27,000 (Gift cards are prohibited by State policy as they are difficult to control). 

• School employees being arbitrarily promoted skipping incremental pay grades - i.e. 25 increases in which the methodology was not used, resulting in additional annual wages totaling approximately $69,000.  One employees salary went from $28,957 to $37,908 which is $8,951 more than required under the method specified in the agreement.

• School bus contractors padding mileage resulting in overpayment of services.  Then - even after discovering the abuse, the overpayment was deducted from future earnings.  The WCPS - 'did not always ensure the accuracy of bus contractor reported time and mileage information . . .'

• Food Services - Operations revenues exceeded expenses by $508,000, while revenue transfers were conducted from the general fund.  This was not just limited to a 1 year occurrence - but several times.

• Schools lacked procedures and controls to ensure the propriety of payments for certain employee and retiree health care costs.

• Lacking internal controls in several financial areas - specifically in regards to ensure that payroll transactions processed were proper. 

• WCPS self-insured medical plan was not included in the OLA audit - although payments to the administrator totaled 25.8 million in plan year 2012, including a 1.4 million fee paid for the administrator.

I could go on and on - even so far as critiquing the bidding practices for contractural work like A&E services.  You have to see it to believe it - here is the link to the actual OLA Audit Report - (click onto Link to see Audit).

Article by SBYnews Executive Editing Staff

We cannot encourage you enough to take the time to READ the entire document. What I will say is, the audit was very well drafted and NOT difficult at all to follow. You simply have to take the time to read it. Once you do, you will probably see the largest amount of comments we've ever seen, (should everyone actually read it). The Board of Education is OUT OF CONTROL. Remember Ladies & Gentlemen, the BOE is the largest portion of the tax payers budget.