The superintendent appointed last week to take over Upshur County’s beleaguered school district told parents and others associated with the system he’ll keep both hands on the wheel — while the state steers its ongoing investigation of alleged mishandling of federal COVID relief there.
“We understand the gravity of the situation,” said Steve Wotring, who most recently retired as superintendent of Preston County Schools.
“We want the community to know that our top priority is to protect the learning environment for our children,” Wotring continued, “by providing stability and continuity, and ensuring funds and resources are used appropriately by the county.”
Which is why he’ll occupy the school district’s main office in Buckhannon at least through the end of the month.
At the core of it all, as said, are concerns and questions of how those contagion relief monies — some $16 million, to date — have been doled out across Upshur’s district, at the height of the pandemic, and after.
The state Board of Education began asking questions last week during its regular meeting in Charleston.
By the time the session was done, the BOE pulled an emergency takeover of the district and state Schools Superintendent David Roach announced his retirement some hours later.
Now, the board is gathering again for a special meeting Friday to formally accept Roach’s retirement while announcing his replacement.
With forensic audits just starting, the alleged misspending was already mounting last week.
It didn’t take long for expenses in question to ring up to nearly $148,000, as shown by the early audits, with the money reportedly spent on restaurant outings, staff retreats and swimming pool passes.
The bulk of those early expenditures include $75,000 for “improper payments,” the audit notes, to district staffers, who sometimes received the extra dollars in addition to their regular salary.
Anyone traced back to any alleged mishandling, state Board of Education President Paul Hardesty said, can expect a stern response as the investigation continues.
“I am a firm believer that there will be people who will have to answer to federal and state authorities for criminal activity,” he said. “From what I see.”
The state board last week also chided Roach for not informing its members of any spending discrepancies, despite the now-outgoing superintendent being made aware this past December.
A routine review by the education department’s Office of Federal programs, which charts federal spending across West Virginia’s 55 public district, first revealed the questionable spending.
Later, a letter written by a group of Upshur residents asked for a forensic review of the local district’s expenditures.
Hardesty, in the meantime, bristled after discovering state Deputy Schools Superintendent Sara Lewis-Stankus also took part in a telephone briefing between state school officials and Upshur officials following that first review.
Lewis-Stankus was superintendent of Upshur County Schools during the time the alleged misspending was to have occurred.
“I apologize to the people of West Virginia because I am embarrassed with the way this is going right now,” the board president said.
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