As of Wednesday, September 26, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Albany Herald
Dougherty County School Board member David Maschke, left, and DCSS Executive Finance Director Kenneth Dyer look over a document during a School Board meeting Wednesday at Radium Springs Elementary School.
ALBANY, Ga. -- Dougherty County School Superintendent Joshua Murfree said he would drive to Atlanta this morning to hand-deliver a $134,262 check to the Georgia Department of Education, meeting the state's Friday deadline to reimburse questionable Title I Part A expenditures by the District.
Murfree made his announcement at the beginning of a School Board work session Wednesday at Radium Springs Elementary School.
"I'll be taking a check to Atlanta myself," Murfree said.
A state education probe into the district's Title I expenditures began in late May after consultant contracts worth $109,000 to Darrell Sabbs and Associates and motivational speaker Joseph Washington came to light.
State education officials contended the two contracts -- $91,000 to Sabbs and $18,000 to Washington -- were not allowable Title I Part A expenditures and demanded reimbursement by Sept. 28.
At stake was more than $11 million in Title I funding that the state threatened to withhold from the county for the federal government's Fiscal year 2013, which begins Monday.
The repayment will remove that threat.
"We still hope to get some of that money back on appeal," DCSS Executive Finance Director Kenneth Dyer said.
The situation has forced the DCSS to take another look at and to tighten its consultants contract policy. In addition, the education department will require that the district hire two people of the state's choice to oversee DCSS's federal and Free and Reduced Meals application programs.
In action items, the board unanimously approved the system's FY13 Title I budget, with the provision that the person DCSS hires to oversee the Title I program reviews and approves the budget.
More like this story
- School Board questions Murfree on Title I expenditures ( September 10, 2012 )
- State DOE: DCSS must reimburse $167,000 ( March 11, 2013 )
- Graper files racial discrimination complaint against DCSS ( September 18, 2012 )
- Murfree told to tighten guidelines on contracts ( July 9, 2012 )
- State BOE freezes DCSS Title I funding ( July 19, 2012 )
Comments
mr_nobody 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Wonder if the DCSS is paying for the gas in his Jaguar for the trip?
Sister_Ruby 7 months, 4 weeks ago
That's 18 miles per gallon and High Test at $4.05 per gallon. Hope they don't charge that $81 off to Title I costs.
Shinedownfan 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Dont forget the expensive restaurant for lunch... he gets perdiem.
Sister_Ruby 7 months, 3 weeks ago
And the Kitty Kat Klub Happy Hour.
Shinedownfan 7 months, 3 weeks ago
I was thinking more like Backstreet, if that club is still there... lol.
bubbasmithredneck 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Looks like the DCSS is getting things back in order. Sorry Terry!!
Bulldawg 7 months, 3 weeks ago
34 needs to do us all a favor at take you to Atlanta with him and leave you there.
tywebb 7 months, 3 weeks ago
bulldawg, don't feed the trolls
lynn227 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Not quite, he'd better find a way to reimburse the teachers he's taken money from. His chickens are about to come home to roost on that score.
jglass 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Well, why couldn't he just overnight the check via Federal Express? He could stay here and do his job and not turn in receipts for meals and mileage and gas? He needs to learn how to work wiser and not spend more!!!!
straightface 7 months, 4 weeks ago
Terry what happended with the 5 teachrs from the CRCT cases that they were suppose to vote on.
ObjectiveEyes 7 months, 3 weeks ago
$10 for an overnight package or $200+ for travel? Currently mileage is reimbursed at $.55 per mile (175 miles x 2 x $.55 = $192.50). Heck with today's technology, why not wire the money for next to $0?
Bulldawg 7 months, 3 weeks ago
That would make too much sense. #34 just wanted to take a road trip on the taxpayers(our) dime. I would travel all the time as well if I could use other peoples money. Oh wait, isnt that what Obama is doing?
Outtahere 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Wow! Must be nice to get a paid vacation, even if it is over night.
Jacob 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Wow. That guy needs to hire someone whose only job is to tell him not to do something stupid every day. Every time 34 starts a sentence with "I think...", his assistant should tell him to just shut up and let the thought pass. Dang, but this clown is his own worst enemy...
AlbanyObserver 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Unless he is driving a check that is payable from his personal funds, and not funds that are in the hands of the DCSS via the taxpayers, it's all still a shell game.
Who is going to reimburse the taxpayers for this? What program will be cut to get the $100,000 required to repay Title I? Oh, I forgot, we can just eliminate one more consultant.
That's the larger and still unanswered question.
bubbasmithredneck 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Terry, you need to dig up some new dirt on the DCSS......looks like they are on the right path and you will need something new to try and bring them down again....Whats the plan???? Its your move now Terry.........
Abytaxpayer 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Terry do NOT feed the Troll
lynn227 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Thanks for making my day, bubbasmithredneck. I needed the laugh.
doingwhatisright 7 months, 3 weeks ago
When Leadership receives a rating of 1.5...they're not on the right track!
bubbasmithredneck 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Cricket Cricket......(in my super quiet voice) "Hey Terry.....what you planning man????"
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