District Audit Presentation Postponed

The Commack school board will reschedule Monday night’s presentation from the district's internal auditor after a trustee fervently argued that the board did not have enough time to analyze the documents for discussion, as the presentation was received less than two hours before the meeting.

Monday night’s meeting of the audit committee was originally scheduled for June 13, but was postponed until June 24. The meeting was in place so that the internal audit committee could present its documents, data and findings from the current fiscal year to the board. The board would then be able to ask questions directly to the auditors during the meeting.

Superintendent Donald James said that the school administration received the auditor’s presentation two weeks prior. The board members however, had received the documents via email less than two hours before the meeting Monday evening.

Trustee Peter Wunsch said that the timing of when the presentation was received was unacceptable.

“Tonight is the night that the auditors are here for me to make comments, and I can’t do it and I’m abrogating my responsibilities as a board member to this community on the fiscal viability of this district. You’re asking me to sit here and go blind into this meeting and it’s not happening,” he said.

BOE President Mary Jo Masciello said that though the documents were received the day of the meeting, it would not be the only time that the board members would have to ask the auditors questions or review the findings before they must accept the report.

“This is late. Don’t make excuses for the fact that it’s late,” Wunsch shot back.

While the presentation was scheduled to take place that night, the auditors did not show up to the meeting.

In order to give the board members more time to review the emailed audit report, a motion was approved to choose a new date for the presentation at the July 2 reorganization meeting.