Greene County Career and Technology Center joint committee addresses financial irregularities

WAYNESBURG - A forensic audit initiated last month after financial irregularities were uncovered at the Greene County Career and Technology Center is not expected to be completed until late next month.

The auditors, Cypher and Cypher, are proceeding at a good pace, John Stets, solicitor for the center's joint operating committee, said at a committee meeting Wednesday.

"Our bills are up to date at this point, and we do have cash on hand," Stets said. The center knows of no bills that have not been paid and that includes to vendors, insurance providers, retirement accounts and the federal government, he said.

The committee, however, may later have to address any shortfall that could face the center at the end of the fiscal year, he said.

The committee has indicated money might be missing. Asked if the committee knew how much, Stets said members were given some "preliminary numbers." He declined to say how much money might be gone, though he later said it is a "significant amount."

All programs at the center will continue to operate and instruction will continue as planned, said Thelma Szarell, superintendent at West Greene and superintendent of record at the center.

The committee began the forensic audit last month after its bank noticed irregularities in the center's payroll account and contacted the center.

The center's business coordinator for the last two years, Jo Phyllis Popielarcheck, was suspended Nov. 4. Her resignation was accepted by the committee at its last meeting Nov. 17.

At that meeting, committee members referred to the investigation as a "criminal investigation" and said state police and the district attorney's office had been notified.

The five school districts that form the center also agreed to accelerate payments to the center to cover any cash shortfalls.

Committee chairman Tom Howard explained last month how problems could develop at the center when only one person is in charge of finances and given a great deal of autonomy.

The committee took several steps last month to tighten controls by requiring additional "live" signatures on checks and designating a person to log in and distribute mail.

Other administrative procedures would be implemented to ensure similar problems never occur again, Howard said.

In other business, the committee reorganized, re-electing Howard, who represents Southeastern Greene, chairman and Roberta Boyd, who represents Central Greene, vice chairman. Other committee members are Pete Shlosky, Carmichaels Area; Jim Handley, West Greene; and Lisa Mattish, Jefferson-Morgan. Copyright Observer Publishing Co.