Public School Audit June 2000

Finally, after months of unsuccessful calls to Business Administrator Robert Brown, (whose salary is one-hundred four thousand dollars a year luckily he does not have tenure.) we were able to obtain the public school audit, thanks to the cooperation of Board President David Matthews. Mr. Brown uses the same delay tactics as the superintendent. The public school audit is public information and should be readily available.

We have not been able to fully study the audit to date. However, some items in the audit raise immediate questions:

1. Legal Expenses

The audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2000, shows columns for 2000 and 1999. In 1999 the legal expenses were $213,200.00 and for 2000 were $225,065.00. The combined legal expenses for 1999-2000 are $438,265.00. This sum is way too high.

2. Architectural Firm (The Hillier Group) for New School Construction

The combined cost between 1999 and 2000 is $113,317.00 (all these plans are incomplete). This firm was hired as a consultant and the contract did not go up for bids. This architectural firm is one of the most expensive outfits in the tri-state area, and well known for cost overruns. They built the last County building in Hackensack and the cost overruns, reported by the press some time ago, were about 80%. The Hillier Group was handpicked by Mayor Fader and the Superintendent and approved by the appointed Board. (Mr. Hillier is a huge contributor to politicians at the county, state and national level. This is also true of the owners of other companies contracted to perform services in the public schools.)

If our student population would be properly registered there will be no need for the $90 million dollar school construction plans from the Hiller Group. The Superintendent may call for a special referendum to obtain $20,800,000 for construction of new facilities. If the Board approves, the Englewood voters will have the right to vote yes or no and their decision will be final. $11million out of that sum is for pre-kindergarten facilities. We consider this sum an exorbitant figure, and we do not trust the costs prepared by the Hillier Group. Furthermore, the plans have not been shown to the public and in the State Department of Education website they appear as “incomplete“.

The state may contribute up to 40% of the construction costs if they approve the plans. The state has a deadline of October 2001, but this deadline has been extended by a few months. To our knowledge, the Superintendent and Board have not submitted the proper paperwork to obtain state construction funds. Many school districts have received millions of dollars from the state for construction plans. It would be an outrage if the Superintendent with the Board of Education approval calls for a referendum on construction plans without securing state funds.

The U. S. has been brutally attacked. President Bush has declared war on terrorists. The economy has been sliding for over a year and may continue on its downhill path. Can the superintendent understand that this is not the time for grandiose construction plans?

3. Board Subsidies

The combined amount of Board subsidies for 1999-2000 is $131,565. Board subsidies we assume are for meals, phones and conference trips. The Board also receives insurance, but this figure is not part of the board subsidies as far as we can tell by the audit.

4. Cleaning, Repair and Maintenance Services

The combined amount of costs for 1999-2000 totals $4,166,241. We consider this sum extremely high. The Board of Education and the Superintendent should spend our educational tax dollars carefully so the maximum amount of money can go into the classroom.

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