School board is reducing audit capacity

Once again, the Northport-East Northport Board of Education has violated its own written policy and the best interests of our community in a self-serving effort to maintain control of the district's audit committee. The committee is appointed by the school board to oversee internal audits of financial records and advise the board on district practices and procedures.

At a recent board meeting, the school board essentially "fired" an incumbent member of the audit committee whose qualifications, objectivity and integrity were not only an asset to the district, but were sorely needed on an audit committee made up primarily of former and current school board members.

Amazingly, this was the third year in a row that the board has dismissed a qualified accountant from the audit committee, while newly appointing or reappointing several less qualified people.

Denise Summers Mumm, Northport

Editor's note: The writer is a former member of the Northport-East Northport school board and is director of United Taxpayers of Northport-East Northport, an advocacy group.
 

The Northport-East Northport school district has once again demonstrated its determination to ensure that the district's audit committee will continue to exist solely in form and without any substance. Yes, the composition of the audit committee meets the minimum standard, but is that the school board's objective? Why the school board intentionally and continuously appoints individuals with no formal accounting or auditing background, while rejecting a deep bench of willing and able licensed certified public accountants to the audit committee, is disturbing.

The audit committee represents the first line of defense to ensure that the district has adequate and effective internal accounting controls, and that those controls are adhered to. Let us not forget that the Roslyn school district's embezzlement was the catalyst for the state mandating that each district have an audit committee.

Lawrence E. Beck, Northport

Editor's note: The writer is a member of the Northport-East Northport school district's audit committee.