8/7/2019 Oxford BOE Release

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For Immediate Release

January 27, 2011 This week, the Board of Education, through its Finance, Insurance,

and Personnel Subcommittee, was made aware of the findings of the auditors for the

recently completed review of the 2009-2010 school budget.

The deficit reported by the auditors was shocking and extremely disturbing. The

auditors found that the 2009-2010 school budget ended up having a deficit of over

$453,000.

Upon further review and discussion with the current Business Manager, and the

Finance, Insurance and Personnel Subcommittee it was discovered that a significanterror was made by the former business manager and the former Superintendent.

In a letter dated January 21, 2010 from the Selectmens Ofce to Dr. Palmer, the town

was amending the amount of funds that would be distributed to the Board of Education

due to a reduction in the ARRA funds received from the State.

To address this issue properly, the former business manager, Mr. Al Pullo under the

supervision of Dr. Judy Palmer, should have reduced the schools budget by the

corresponding amount of the towns reduction.

This however, was never made and leadership at central ofce proceeded with an

erroneously high budget.

Statutorily, if the error was discovered during the same school year, the Board of

Education would have had to appeal to the town for additional appropriation of fundsto cover deficit.

However, since it was not discovered within the same year and most recently, the town

must absorb the cost of the deficit through an automatic reduction of the General

Funds Undesignated Fund Balance.

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The Board of Education is extremely disappointed to learn about this very significant

error and will continue to cooperate with the auditors, the town and staat central

ofce sta.

We will also be supportive of any investigation regarding the mismanagement of the

taxpayers dollars during the previous administration. The Board has also taken steps

to ensure that a similar incident will not occur now or in the future.

The people of Oxford can be assured that the current budget, while extremely

conservative, has an accurate total budget.

We have confidence in our current administration, James Connelly as Interim

Superintendent and Rosemary Hanson as Business Manager.

We do believe with the experience level of Ms. Hanson, who worked in a dual role as

the Town of Clintons Finance Director and BoE Business Manager, that she will be able

to assist us in this matter.