SCOTT COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) -- After a monthslong investigation, Scott County School District 2 fired its chief financial officer after accusations of gross mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.
Casey Brewster, who also served as assistant superintendent, was fired by the school board during a public meeting on Thursday following the investigation into his handling of district funds.
Among the many allegations made in the board investigation, the district did not have the money to meet payroll in June and December of last year. Checks written to a construction company for work bounced.
What the document does not outline is how the money evaporated, and how much is gone.
"We are all mad. I'm ticked off," Board President Andrea Soloe said. "I am mad I'm having to sit up here in this situation."
A school funding specialist brought in to sort things out wrote "The fiscal conditions of the school corporation will be worse than what she currently knows, which is that the school corporation has a deficit of several million dollars"
According to the report, money intended for improvements to schools, self-insurance, and the rainy day fund are overdrawn by several thousand dollars.
At the school board's last public meeting, Superintendent Dr. Marc Slaton said the money was overspent, and not missing or stolen.
Brewster is not accused of stealing or misusing the money for personal gain.
“There is a lot of things I have been embarrassed about and ashamed of and, you know, as adults we learn and we continue to grow and fix mistakes, but I've not done the things I've been accused of. They know it," said Brewster.
The board believes he simply mismanaged the money and failed to tell the board, raising questions about how no one on the board, or administration, failed to see the problems.
But Brewster said he's been sounding alarms for months.
“People want to know if their jobs are secure, there are teachers, aides people want to know with this money being gone is their job secure” said Abraham Fox, a lifelong resident of Scott County.
The board said no programs will be cut and jobs are secure. But is the board secure in their jobs? A former board member, Harry Jones believes it is time to start over.
“I would recommend the administrator and all board members turn their resignation in tonight," Jones said.
Related Stories:
Copyright 2024 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
