Stanhope school district audit reveals fiscal mismangment
From Sunshine Review
31 July 2008
The Stanhope school district in New Jersey recently underwent an audit that revealed over half a million dollars of misspent money.
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[edit] Bad hiring practices
The audit revealed bad hiring practices, especially those related to the hiring of Superintendent Nicholas Brown. Brown was hired in May of 2005 despite not having the proper certification to serve as Superintendent. Also there is currently no contract on file for the length of Brown's contract which was supposed to last from May 4, 2007 through May 3, 2011.
Despite the lack of contract, when Brown resigned in January of 2008, he demanded $65,124.78 for unused vacation and sick days which the board paid.
[edit] Misspent school bonds
The district also improperly spent $538,610 in voter-approved bonds funds and a matching $359,074 in matching state funds for the renovation of Linden Avenue School. The school was then not used for public schools but rather private and special need programs.
[edit] Repercussions
Currently there is no out cry in the school district for a more transparent way to monitor school spending. In fact the school board is contesting any effort to reallocate the funds back to taxpayers or paying any financial penalties. Superintendent Arthur DiBenedetto has said that such action would be "unduly burdensome for the district" costing it $897,684.[1]
