Julie McKenna Racine Unified School District Board Member
The parameters of the school board's investigation of allegations made in Mark Lucas' report regarding the Public Business Consulting Group was the subject of board member Julie McKenna's talk to RTA.
Julie McKenna and Jim Morrison
The law firm of Reinhart, Boernere, Van Deuren and the accounting firm of Deloitte Touche have been retained to conduct the audit at a cost of $200,000. The audit will involve 4 phases with the bulk of the investigation in the 1 st phase. If information developed in the 1 st phase warrants further investigation, more work will be done.
So far, the law firm has received 22,000 documents including documents from the administration, the board and individuals. They are now interviewing people and expect to conclude their interviews by mid July to the first of August.
Julie McKenna, Dick and June Reich
Board member Randy Bangs has gone through the Lucas' report and has listed 20 concerns he would like the accountants to address.
Most concerns involve the consulting firm PBCG: reported savings, validation of savings, fair market compensation, increase in Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer salaries, monthly mileage reimbursements, review of consultants' contracts in the last 2 years, and also a review of the policies related to these items.
Dick and June Reich with Lois Hammes
No reports will be forthcoming until the first phase has been completed.
In answer to a question regarding the 22,000 documents, McKenna said the school district computers were locked, the hard drives removed and all e-mails recorded with others submitted by district employees and board members.
George Meyers
The PBCG was initially hired on a temporary basis to fill in for Robert Stepien when he retired as CFO, but the board later learned that Supintendent Tom Hicks had authorized a 5 year contract for PBCG.
This was done with the "policy governance" authority of the superintendent.
Erwin Kaufman
If the RTA, or any member of the RTA, has a question on the audit, McKenna suggested that Mr. Ware, the representative from Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren, be contacted directly.
