Monday, December 27, 2010

Another Blast From the Past ... 2006 Auditors Report


At the last SC mud wrestling match, a certain clueless committee member stated that it was irresponsible that the School Committee made changes to the Community School before receiving the results of the audit.  I would respond that I think it was irresponsible for somebody so clueless to run for public office!

Overlooking the fact that the 2009 audit SUPPORTED the reason the prior committee made the changes, these were not new ideas -- most were previously included on the 2006 Agreed Upon Procedures report done on the Community School which had been pretty much ignored. 

She certainly should have had a copy of THAT report.   Members Crossman and Marshall definitely would have -- since they were on the Executive Council back then.  Jim Lehane certainly had one -- he gave me a  copy two years ago.

It's worth noting that all of these observations pre-date Jim Lehane, but it is also worth noting that there are some recurring themes even  four years later.  Some highlighted points:

#3-  CS Executive Council claimed Cash basis of Accounting "not operationally practical" .  Really?

#9 - Recommends that Community School follow Mass General law for disbursement processing.  CS responds that that is "under review".  Since when is following the law subject to "review"?

#10 - Points out that CS is not following appropriate bid procedures.  

This isn't personal opinion, prejudice, sour grapes, or anything else.  This is a public document that shows these same Community School issues have been under discussion for years and that many people made a conscious decision to ignore any effort to correct them.

The Community School offers some great programs.  Until everybody stops playing CYA, and admits that changes need to be made to make the programs economically viable given the current state laws, and the current economic climate, we will lose one more local service.

12 comments:

Bob Guerin said...

I am shocked! I am stunned!
How can this be? Haven't Mrs Crossman, Mrs Marshal, and the managers and staff at the Community School repeatedly said they were unaware of these issues? Isn't this all suppose to be "news" to everyone? I thought the Community School was very well run, carefully supervised by their Executive Committee and enormously profitable until Guerin and Simmons (those bastards) started asking all those questions and grabbing all the money.

The Truth Maker said...

The Truth Maker would ask the good citizens of Sandwich, when do you think it is appropriate for the present sitting school board members to actually spin a little truth for a change?

When will Ms. Marshal and co-horts
really begin the job they were elected to do rather then continue with this ongoing vendatta ? Do the need to take a pound of flesh for being outed in regards to not responding to not one , but two private audits?

They exclaim ignorance, like the three mice,
See no evil
Speak no evil
Hear no evil,
Well that covers three, what about the fourth one?
We all should be good girls and boys and just allow them to bring down the educational system in the Sandwich Public Schools. Allow them to find another scape goat, once they finish off with the present superintendent of schools.

Who in there right mind would want to come here to Sandwich as a superintendent, knowing that the present union led school committee has not upheld the oath of office they swore to uphold when they raised their hand and swore to uphold all laws in the Commonwealth and the United States?

Bob and Bobby it sure looks like the looking glass needs to get a little cleaning, perhaps then they will realize the errors of there ways.

Anonymous said...

This is unbelievable. It just keeps getting worse.

It seems pretty obvious that Johnson's efforts to unravel the Community School nightmare pissed off an awful lot of people --- and now we are starting to see why.

I hope she wins her lawsuit and gets a major award against the Committee for their efforts to retaliate against her.

CuriousParent said...

Well, I did a little checking and Kangas, Crossman, Linehan and Marshall are, as of right now, using John J. Davis, the same lawyer who is representing the SC in the suit filed by MEJ. He has appearances in for all of them. So, we are paying for it folks!!

Curious Taxpayer said...

He sounds expensive ...

http://www.piercedavis.com/?t=3&A=2052&format=xml&p=2404

I predict a settlement. Prepare to get hosed.

Anonymous said...

1:40 A few people in the legal field have basically said that the town lawyer starts out defending all parties but when the insurance company lawyer comes in and determines the fab four behaved arbitrarily and then also retaliated against Dr. Johnson. Insurance lawyers do not have to defend illegal actions by the individual.
People often say elected officials can't be sued which is incorrect, when you can prove they behaved illegally (retaliatory and arbitrarily) they have to hire private counsel.....these four have definately made their beds and Dr. Johnson's lawyers have 7 months of evidence on tapes as well.

Dr. Johnson will probably retire sooner than she planned on because of arrogant women and the damages they have incurred by their actions.

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:31
I take by your comments that you have spoken to the atty's and that is why you make your comments

Anonymous said...

Bob who was running the sc in 2006 when this report came out and why wasn't it implemented

Bob Simmons said...

The 2006 Report was ordered by, and delivered to, the Executive Council sometime in 2007.

Once obtained by the School Committee, it became a major factor in the long battle to restructure the Community School by removing the Executive Council and putting the School Committee in a more direct supervisory position.

It was also a major factor in the School Committee ordering a full audit of the Community School by another accounting firm for the final year before the Executive Council was eliminated.

Anonymous said...

4:49 I know a few attorneys that specialize in labor laws, plus work in the business world. Employees are sent to many trainings to prevent situations the four women have created.
Employers no longer have to protect employees, supervisors, elected officials who violate labor laws against an employee. Just go to Mass General laws/labor laws and you can educate yourself on the basic do's and dont's.
These women have created a perfectly wrapped Christmas lawsuit for Dr. Johnson's lawyers and they continue to create more damages. 7 Months of SCAT is great evidence for the lawyers.
Violating the Mass. bully laws could easily be added to the pile of evidence especially after the last school committe meeting.

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:49
Thank You for this info. I hope the courts settle this. I hope all the supportors and detractors can get together when this is all said and done

Anonymous said...

After twenty years of living in Sandwich, these divisions between the town side and school side don't appear to be getting any better.
The municipal side points fingers at the schools for requiring so much money, even though the town side overtime is outrageous. Those employees understandably want their overtime left alone, the correct business practice would be to hire more officers and cut out alot of the overtime but that's never gonna happen.
The current and past school boards never controlled and held the administration or unions accountable. When Guerin and Simmons questioned the monies and 25 yr illegal financial practices at the Comm. School they were attacked for it. We had visions of them being strung up in the village square. Ya just can't win in this town, so we wonder why apathy has taken over and no one wants to serve on the BOS or School board, requirement for these elected positions is you must be a sadist and enjoy having your head kicked in on a routine basis.

I hope for the sake of our children two residents with thick skin step up and run for Marshall's seat, Susko appears like she has had enough and won't be running again?

Anyone want to put their name out there now for the running? The children need two people that have a clue and no connections to SEA Union or Community School