Report Uncovers Problems With Burlington School System Finances

BURLINGTON, MA — Burlington Public Schools kept cash and checks received from building rentals in a desk drawer instead of a safe before they were deposited at the end of the week, according to a by Powers & Sullivan, the school system's financial consultant. The report comes nearly a year after the school system asked town meeting for $700,000 to close a budget gap and as a follow-up to an earlier report by Powers & Sullivan that found widespread problems in school system accounting protocols.

While not as damning as the 2017 report that raised questions about how the money in the system's performing arts revolving fund was managed, the new Powers & Sullivan report made several recommendations on how the school system could further tighten financial controls. It raised questions about spending and financial procedures beyond the cash payments the school system accepted for building rentals, including:

• Five groups owe the school system $10,000 for building rentals. Powers & Sullivan the school system either collect that money or write it off.
• Burlington Public Schools did not verify income levels for families that applied for free or reduced lunch.
• The High School Gift Account spent $452 at Roche Brothers for Teacher Appreciation Day. The fund is supposed to be use for purchases that have a direct benefit for students.
• The school system used the iPad account, which is supposed to be used to buyback district-issued iPads, to purchase smart watches for employees in prior years not covered by the report. "We did not review this expense, but if we had would consider that expense to be unallowable," Powers & Sullivan wrote.
• The report questioned $650 and $758 for expenditures at Wegmans for food for the Marshall Simond Middle School principal search committee and $1,973 and $1,248 at Tuscan Kitchen for accreditation activities from the corporate gifts account. Powers & Sullivan recommended the school committee adopt a policy making food an allowable expense for school activities.

"Since the gift fund revenues did not require any specific expense restrictions, the School has wide latitude on the types of expenses charged to this fund," the report said. "We recommend that the School Committee adopt a policy when expenses for food or meals would be considered an allowable expense serving a District purpose."

More on this story:

• Burlington School Committee Member Offers Clarification On Budget
• Report Raises New Questions About Burlington School Finances
• Town Meeting Members Respond To Burlington School Finance Report
• Burlington Can't Rule Out Wrongdoing In School Account Deficits
• Burlington Superintendent: No Doubts About Faculty Honesty
• Few Answers From Incomplete Audit Of Burlington Music Program
• Audit Of Burlington Schools Student Funds Uncovers Lax Oversight