Will Fort Cherry do what is recommended by the PDE?

Cypher& Cypher’s contract is up this year.  The Board must decide whether to keep Cypher, the auditor for the past 20 years, or obtain a new auditor to set a fresh set of eyes on FC’s finances.

Board member Jodi McKay voiced that it would be a good idea to look for new auditors.  Board member JoAnne Wagner agreed.

Lo and behold, the PDE agrees:  

School Finance 101

PA Department of Education

http://www.gorockets.org/Downloads/School_Finance_101.pdf

But board members Jamie White and Cindy Gaskill did not agree.

White and Gaskill are happy to keep the status quo.  Both praised Cypher’s work at FC.

Let’s review a few things that have occurred under Cypher’s watch:

• FC business manager Paul Sroka commandeered the school’s corporate credit card, making unauthorized personal purchases.  To date, the board has not had it confirmed that public funds were not used to pay for Sroka’s purchases.
• In 2010, FC administrators violated school code when they transferred over $700,000 out of the 1432 Capital Reserve account.  Instead of instructing the administrators and the board to adhere to school code, Cypher stated publicly that “it didn’t hurt anyone”, made excuses for the administrators, and misidentified the fund in the yearly audit so as to not call attention to the violation.
• Cypher has ignored years of inappropriate coding by Sroka, enabling the administration to misuse public tax dollars for administrative perks.

For that they deserve praise???

Jamie White not only praised Cypher, he went on to state that Cecil Township, pleased with Cypher’s work in the investigation of former police chief John Pushak, renewed Cypher’s contract.

Really, Jamie??? . . .

Here are the facts:

On January 6, Cecil supervisors approved a new township auditor.  That information appeared January 7, 2014, in the Observer:

“During the reorganization meeting, the board approved Hosack, Specht, Muetzel & Wood LLP in Pittsburgh as the new township auditor, replacing Cypher & Cypher Certified Public Accountants in Canonsburg.”

http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20140106/NEWS01/140109591#.UuKzBhAo5Mw

Cypher did not discover the discrepancy in the Cecil Police Department’s finances.  According to the December 30, 2013, Observer:

“The investigation began in mid-January when a Cecil Township resident, who asked to remain anonymous, contacted authorities about money potentially missing from the police department’s evidence room.”

http://www.observer-reporter.com/article/20131230/NEWS01/131239935#.UuKyUxAo5Mw

As reported in the January 7 Observer:

 “Our residents do not trust our local government,” said (Cecil) resident Shirley O’Donnell. “It is vital to restore trust and relieve the concern of our citizens through a forensic audit.”

The same thing applies to FC’s administrators and those who are compensated with our tax dollars to watch over them, like the auditor.  This blog has shown time and again that the superintendent and business manager have not been honest with the board.  They are not to be trusted.  And Cypher, by ignoring the indiscretions of the administration, appears to have lost its independence when dealing with Fort Cherry.

Cypher has been the school auditor for over 20 years, well over the PDE’s recommendation of 5 to 6 years.

It’s time for a new set of eyes on Fort Cherry’s books.  

Tis the season . . . Santa says, “Ho, Ho, Ho” . . . and Sroka says, “Ha, Ha, Ha” to FC taxpayers.

Things you will more than likely find hanging on the FC Business Manager’s Christmas tree:

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Due to the inaction of the FC School Board, FC Business Manager Paul Sroka maintains possession of the district’s corporate Amex card.

Will FC taxpayers foot the bill for Sroka’s merry Christmas?

The board can do right by the taxpayers and initiate an independent investigation and forensic audit of the finances of the district; or, the board can hide behind Dinnen’s botched “investigation” of the credit account takeover by Sroka.

Which will it be???

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Dinnen's contract is set to expire at the end of this school year.  

The board has three choices:

1) Do nothing and let the contract roll into another 5 years of Dinnen being in charge, thus having no positive change to the district.  Keep in mind Dinnen has not been truthful with the board and taxpayers.

2) Open the superintendent position and contract and interview other (and surely superior) candidates for the position.  This would give the Board the opportunity to improve the contract, striking the many taxpayer funded personal perks (money that could be better used for programs for the students).

3) Allow Dinnen to retire.  Caution with this choice!

This must be done with a written agreement from Dinnen stating that he will retire early or at the end of the school year.  Without this in writing by the January 27th meeting, the board has no guarantee that Dinnen will retire, and the board will miss the opportunity to open the position in accordance with policy and the terms of Dinnen's current contract.  (A full copy of Dinnen’s contract can be found here:  http://www.fortcherry.org/Page/9)
The contract should be opened this month regardless of any promises from Dinnen to retire.

From Dinnen's current contract......