Saturday, June 17, 2006
Huntley District 158 Hires Secretary as Director of Fiscal Services
Can you imagine a school district hiring a secretary to be its Director of Fiscal Services?
That’s the district’s top accountant.
At $67,000 a year.
That’s what Huntley District 158 just did, complete with Board approval.
And, this is a district that hasn’t been able to balance its checkbook.
It’s true that Tereasa Ferrier just earned a master’s degree in School Business Management from Northern Illinois University in 2004, but her most recent job was as a secretary with a Glen Ellyn high school district.
I wonder how much she earned as a secretary, supposed her only post-bachelor’s degree job experience.
I called her boss Stan Hall and asked what Tereasa Ferrier’s current job was.
Here's the district's press release on the hiring.
So, we shall have to rely upon the May 23rd Daily Herald that no longer may be viewed for free. Here’s what the Daily Herald found:
That’s the district’s top accountant.
At $67,000 a year.
That’s what Huntley District 158 just did, complete with Board approval.
And, this is a district that hasn’t been able to balance its checkbook.
It’s true that Tereasa Ferrier just earned a master’s degree in School Business Management from Northern Illinois University in 2004, but her most recent job was as a secretary with a Glen Ellyn high school district.
I wonder how much she earned as a secretary, supposed her only post-bachelor’s degree job experience.
I called her boss Stan Hall and asked what Tereasa Ferrier’s current job was.
I don’t have that in front of me.I asked where she worked and whether she was a secretary.
Executive Assistant, Glenbard Township High School District 87 was his reply.How long has she worked there?
I think it is four years.I asked if she had a master’s degree and, if so, when she received it. Hall told me she had one and got it in
2004, I believeWhen I asked for her resume, I was told to file a Freedom of Information request. Needless, to say the Huntley School District was unwilling to send the resume.
Here's the district's press release on the hiring.So, we shall have to rely upon the May 23rd Daily Herald that no longer may be viewed for free. Here’s what the Daily Herald found:
At the center of the row is Tereasa Ferrier, a secretary in Glenbard Township High School District 87, who will take over the fiscal services position June 1 at a salary of $67,000.In spite of district finances, which required a $524,000 “adjustment” to put the check book in balance and having had, then, lost, then, found again $2 million and its outside auditor having said,
I just want you to know that people could easily be stealing money from the district,Board President Mike Skala was quoted by the Daily Herald thusly,
The board just didn’t feel like we should be doing HR’s job. I’m holding (chief financial officer Stan Hall) responsible for the people he hires. If the job is getting done, or getting done properly, that’s his responsibility.What is this all about…really?
Labels: Director of Fiscal Services, Glenbard Township High School, Huntley School District 158, Mike Skala, Stan Hall, T. Ferrier
Comments:
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Hmmmm - it's puzzling isn't it?
D158's finances and procedures keep hitting the news fan and the District hires a person (Ms. Ferrier - who may be very nice and talented) but who doesn't seem to be bringing the experience D158 needs if it truly wants to correct its problems. Does D158 really want to fix its books?
Hmmmm. Again.
Excerpt:
"Enter Stanley Hall. Hall has had more than 23 years of experience in school finance, including 10 years as an auditor for the Illinois State Board of Education."
(from "Hall takes on D-158 cash issues", Publication Northwest Herald, Date September 05, 2005 columnist Brian Slupski)
With background like that, you'd think D158 wouldn't still be in the "Ugly Press"?
Why are the books not balanced on a regular basis for the CURRENT year?
Why, when the board okayed about $30,000 for the Gurrie audit (attempting to balance the 2005 books), well, why did Mr. Hall okay work costing about 3 times that amount - without mentioning it to the board until after the fact?
Here a million. There a million.
Yawn......................... Sigh.
And the board doesn't want to "micromanage". Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Actually paying specific attention to who is joining the payroll at executive level wages doesn't seem to be an issue for the board majority. Yep, that's worked really well so far as the "interesting" exits of the former Supt., the former CFO, and others will attest.
Yah bad bad word "micromanage". Umm, how about just "managing" - for a change - as in having accounting procedures in place that would have shown proper controls, accurate numbers, better record retention, and less "fascinating" gaps. errors, or lapses?
With 3 of the board members on the board for over 8 years EACH - you'd think the kinks would be worked out and the now $50 million district would be humming and educationally excellent.
You'd think........
I'd think....
but with all the stories for the last two years, it makes you wonder if the administrators or the board members think.
---------- oops almost forgot
an excerpt in another NWH piece ("D-158 wants audit answers,
Publication Northwest Herald
Date May 08, 2006, reporter Tom Musick")
and some other things that have come out told me something else interesting about whether or not Mr. Hall is on top of things.
Excerpt:
"Hall said he was not sure how the firm's hourly rate of $275 compared with previous years.
"It sounds high," he said, "but I'm from downstate and everything up here sounds high."
Okay, so he authorized the extra work and the extra charges, without board authorization, and didn't address the rate?
I guess he just did "it" his way.
I know it would definitely not be MY way.
He's still employed with D158. And it's probably 1 year raise/review time if that applies to administrators.
I imagine he will be aware of what that rate will be.
And whether or not his checks will be recaps or contain all the detailed breakdowns.
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D158's finances and procedures keep hitting the news fan and the District hires a person (Ms. Ferrier - who may be very nice and talented) but who doesn't seem to be bringing the experience D158 needs if it truly wants to correct its problems. Does D158 really want to fix its books?
Hmmmm. Again.
Excerpt:
"Enter Stanley Hall. Hall has had more than 23 years of experience in school finance, including 10 years as an auditor for the Illinois State Board of Education."
(from "Hall takes on D-158 cash issues", Publication Northwest Herald, Date September 05, 2005 columnist Brian Slupski)
With background like that, you'd think D158 wouldn't still be in the "Ugly Press"?
Why are the books not balanced on a regular basis for the CURRENT year?
Why, when the board okayed about $30,000 for the Gurrie audit (attempting to balance the 2005 books), well, why did Mr. Hall okay work costing about 3 times that amount - without mentioning it to the board until after the fact?
Here a million. There a million.
Yawn......................... Sigh.
And the board doesn't want to "micromanage". Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Actually paying specific attention to who is joining the payroll at executive level wages doesn't seem to be an issue for the board majority. Yep, that's worked really well so far as the "interesting" exits of the former Supt., the former CFO, and others will attest.
Yah bad bad word "micromanage". Umm, how about just "managing" - for a change - as in having accounting procedures in place that would have shown proper controls, accurate numbers, better record retention, and less "fascinating" gaps. errors, or lapses?
With 3 of the board members on the board for over 8 years EACH - you'd think the kinks would be worked out and the now $50 million district would be humming and educationally excellent.
You'd think........
I'd think....
but with all the stories for the last two years, it makes you wonder if the administrators or the board members think.
---------- oops almost forgot
an excerpt in another NWH piece ("D-158 wants audit answers,
Publication Northwest Herald
Date May 08, 2006, reporter Tom Musick")
and some other things that have come out told me something else interesting about whether or not Mr. Hall is on top of things.
Excerpt:
"Hall said he was not sure how the firm's hourly rate of $275 compared with previous years.
"It sounds high," he said, "but I'm from downstate and everything up here sounds high."
Okay, so he authorized the extra work and the extra charges, without board authorization, and didn't address the rate?
I guess he just did "it" his way.
I know it would definitely not be MY way.
He's still employed with D158. And it's probably 1 year raise/review time if that applies to administrators.
I imagine he will be aware of what that rate will be.
And whether or not his checks will be recaps or contain all the detailed breakdowns.
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