By Terry Lewis (1157)
terry.lewis@albanyherald.com

As of Friday, July 20, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Albany Herald

ALBANY, Ga. — Georgia Department of Education Title Programs Director Margo DeLaune said Friday a decision to delay disbursement of more than $11 million in federal funds to the Dougherty County School System was prompted by incomplete or inapplicable documentation supplied by system officials.

Late last month, the GADOE requested supporting documentation in regard to 34 questionable Title I-related expenditures for more than $142,000 and gave the system until July 13 to comply.

The system responded to the request by the deadline, but the information provided wasn’t sufficient to prevent the department from freezing funding.

“We are still going through the documentation, and it is taking us some time to review,” DeLaune said. “But some of the information we have received doesn’t apply to the documentation we requested.

“We made the decision yesterday (Thursday) to delay the funding until we received the proper documentation we’ve requested.”

On Thursday, the state Board of Education approved federal funding for the Dougherty County School System, but the DOE stepped in, deciding to delay the money until the system clears up issues with FRM (Free or Reduced Meal) numbers and questionable Title I expenditures.

The state allocates Title I funding based on FRM-eligible students. The numbers are used as an indicator of poverty, and the DOE has said it has reason to “doubt the accuracy” of the system’s FY 2012 numbers.

In FY 2012, the DCSS reported that 82.2 percent of its more than 16,000 students qualified for free or reduced meals.

DeLaune said the state is looking at all federal programs in Dougherty County, including School Improvement Grants, Race To The Top, 21st Century Grants and Title I, Part A monies, among others

“To be honest, I have no clue how many (federal grants) we are looking at because there are so many federal programs involved,” DeLaune said.

The probe was spurred by the April indictments of Dougherty County School Board member Velvet Riggins and Morningside Elementary School Principal Gloria Baker on felony charges of filing fraudulent free or reduced lunch applications.

Riggins was removed from office last week by Gov. Nathan Deal and will go to trial before Superior Court Judge Stephen Goss on Sept. 17. Baker has a motion hearing before Superior Court Judge Willie Lockett on Aug. 31.

DeLaune did not know how long the delay would remain in effect but said the length of the freeze would depend on how quickly the system responds with the applicable documentation requested by the state.

A call Friday to request comment from school system Finance Director Kenneth Dyer was not returned.

34 can't provide the documentation, because there is nothing they can produce that justifies these expenditures. $ 141,000 that the taxpayers will have to reimburse. Darrell Sabbs & #34 needs to be in jail for this. The D.A.'s office ought to investigate this and find out what is going on with these crooks. If they lie at a grand jury investigation that is perjury.

FryarTuk 11 months ago

Fire Joshua Murfree! Fire Betty Graber! Sue Darrell Sabbs and Joe Washington & get the money back. Yes, open a grand jury and put them all under oath.

AuntieDee 11 months ago

I don't know Darryl Sabbs but I don't think this is his fault or that he should pay the money back. They were stupid enough to pay him. He did nothing wrong or illegal. Those who paid him and authorized the pay should pay it back.

RedEric 11 months ago

Does Phoebe Putney really want a crook like Darrel Sabbs working for them? Having an employee like this might give them a bad reputation. You know, a take more than you give culture. Except for that woman employee who stole $1.1 million from patients they have been very well respected.

chinaberry25 11 months ago

Are they going to withhold the funds entirely or only some of them? But what I do not understand, how long has Sabbs been going on? Didn't he start under Whatley?

chinaberry25 11 months ago

BYW, if only Lloyd could talk. He knows where are the bones are.

Sister_Ruby 11 months ago

Did he have to sign a non-disclosure agreement? I've never heard of that when you are fired, only when you are hired or resign.

AuntieDee 11 months ago

Lloyd was not fired nor did he resign. He was demoted.

Bubbavet_rureel 11 months ago

You should be familiar with the process.

Shinedownfan 11 months ago

I was thinking he may be one of the whistle blowers??? Maybe?

AuntieDee 11 months ago

Lloyd is part of the problem. All the money moved through his hands.

TheWatcher 11 months ago

He will be the fall guy on this one. Just watch.

DoctorDorite 11 months ago

Strange how the #34 keeps coming up with regards to #34 superintintent, 34 questionable expenditures of Title 1 money. Its all about Karma and you know what they say about Karma, LOL.

FlunkyMonkey 11 months ago

Documentation is in adequate because the records kept by the people involved are inadequate. The entire board needs to be removed and rebuilt from scratch...

Trustbuster 11 months ago

When I hear these stories concerning the lack of accountability by the DOCO school system I think of the 3 monkeys: Hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil. I wonder if Murphee has the monkey statue on his desk.

doingwhatisright 11 months ago

The teachers kept asking about the funds ...we all were suspicious; things just did not add up. Lord, help me to remember why I teach.

Sister_Ruby 11 months ago

Thank God for Department of Education Title Programs Director Margo DeLaune. If it weren't for the GaZillions in "free" Federal money coming into this county, how could so many people afford their expensive luxury import automobiles?

The next sound you hear though will be a jet landing at the airport full of Eric Holder's DOJ agents who will be coming to keep anything from stopping the flow of vote-buying Federal money to Albany. Oh well............

bubbasmithredneck 11 months ago

You sound like a fired teacher from the DCSS or something. Why are you so happy this system is having problems?

VSU 11 months ago

I don't think no one is happy the system is having problems, They are just happy that action is being taken to correct the problems. Duh!

Sister_Ruby 11 months ago

Exactly. WOW the stupidity.

bubbasmithredneck 11 months ago

No...she is happy....dont try to clean it up for her!

Sister_Ruby 11 months ago

I'm happy as a pig in slop....that somebody's doing something to stop the madness!!

LetBest 11 months ago

Cleaning out the board members does not fix the problem. Cleaning out the administrators too, that is what is needed...and then maybe replacing with people who are not connected with thoseleaving. Ahhh, that might be impossible after all. But that is what would help.

Momof3 11 months ago

So my question is, if schools starts back in 2 weeks, and they have not given the DOE this documentation, what does that do to the school year and the kids??????? Does the State THEN come in and take over????

Terry.Lewis 11 months ago

The DOE is giving them every opportunity to come into compliance. They want to give the system the money, and I think this is just a warning shot across their bow.

Citizen_A 11 months ago

It is a shame some shots couldn't have been fired across the bow a little sooner....

chinaberry25 11 months ago

You start paying $1.50 for lunch and more for breakfast.

Abytaxpayer 11 months ago

First off I have to say a Thanks to "doingwhatisright" and all the other honest and moral teachers and employees in DCSS. I know you’ll have been smeared by this mess and it is not of your making. So Thank You.

Is anyone surprised? “The insufficient DCSS’s data is insufficient.” Quality in Quality out ROFLMAO

bubbasmithredneck 11 months ago

you are one of the ones doing the smearing!!!

Abytaxpayer 11 months ago

ROFLMAO BVR you are so right I am "smearing" them with their own SH##. If you don't like seeing it smeared on them tell them to STOP spreading it out there for the rest of us to deal with. We just shoveling what they produced.....Not one person has madeup anything about your Lying, Cheating, Stealing FRIENDS...Wow the truth hurts when you not use to seeing it in your FACE.

Sister_Ruby 11 months ago

Murfree thinks that blowing smoke out his wazzoo will get him by again. It won't. They even sent "data" that had nothing to do with the requested information. Wazzoo Smoke Screen....didn't work.

Abytaxpayer 11 months ago

It is called "If you dazzle them with brilliance, Baffle them with BULL SH%%" So #34 and company keep piling on the unnecessary data.

SMHgain 11 months ago

Wow, Abytaxpayer, my sentiments exactly!!!

SMHgain 11 months ago

Did DCSS send these "contractors" a 1099-Misc. and report to the IRS the payments made to the "contractors"??

stc1993 11 months ago

SMHgain, good question. Another question does Mr. Sabbs have a city business license or professional license that allows him to run such an operation for the school system? It should be public record at the Secretary of State's office. Every business in GA has to register every year.

stc1993 11 months ago

I went to the Secretary of State web site & searched for a corporation or business registration for Darrell Sabbs in GA. The only thing I found he was listed as the registered agent in GA for United Black Fund of America Inc. Their registration was revoked on 5/16/2008 for non compliance of annual registration. There was no registration for Sabbs and Associates or any other company registered under Darrell Sabbs.

RedEric 11 months ago

Great question SMHgain, in fact, the IRS gives rewards to whistleblowers. I can't think of any group I would like better to see this bunch of thieves stand before and try to 'splain' things. Like I said before, this is going to be fun.

Bubbavet_rureel 11 months ago

We have this covered, cant wait for school to start. Let us handle the school business and you handle the negative business.

The board we have in place will be there for a long time. We plan to get our monies worth out of Dr. Murfree. 20 to 30 years.

FryarTuk 11 months ago

I doubt Dr.Murfree will go for 20-30 years, more like an 8-10 year sentence. They'll love him behind the pipes with that bowtie and history of ripping off poor black kids. You don't suppose any of them fellows in the big house have any kids receiving special education services and free lunches do you?

Cartman 11 months ago

I'm just grateful that someone from the outside is looking. Isn't it amazing how arrogance turns to babbling when someone with authority wants to see the books? It's like watching roaches scatter when the light is turned on.

Bubbavet_rureel 11 months ago

Funny, how things change, when the man is at the helm.

Bubbavet_rureel 11 months ago

Dr. Murfree, we support you, keep cleaning the left over mess.

Progressive 11 months ago

As was said in grammar school, speak for yourself. Do not use "we support you" because "we" certainly do not support someone who should be making wise decisions and consistently shows he does not: trip to Atlanta for all of the students, illegal bond payments, ill egal interferance with the School Police doing their job, and the list goes on and on and on...

Progressive 11 months ago

B_r - please stop asking for a hidden agenda. You have exhausted this phrase and the answer has been provided several times by many others. It is noticed that you have never stated what you think the hidden agenda may be. So until you come clean with what you think you may be looking for, stop asking. Otherwise it is you who has the hidden agenda.

DCSS data insufficient

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