Sunday, July 23, 2006
“Pooh, Pooh,” She Said To the Tiger in the Zoo
When Huntley School District 158 Board member Larry Snow asked for a forensic audit of the unbalanced and out-of-control financial books, the Ruling Six acted like Madeline.They weren’t afraid of anyone having stolen money from the school district.
They remind me of my daughter Alexandra when we took her to the Lincoln Park Zoo. She knew the story of “Madeline” quite well, so when we came to the tigers’ cage, I asked if she wanted to say, “Pooh, Pooh,” to the tiger in the zoo.
She decided to go chase pigeons near the water fountain instead.In District 158’s case, the tigers are not behind bars. They are rooming out in the open. The school district’s last audit is pretty much the worst I can imagine. And, the management letter is so unbelievable that a national web site has picked up my story and comments about it.
Outside auditor Tim Cole even warned right out loud,
I just want you to know that people could easily be stealing money from the district.I wonder if they still think there is no problem now that Daily Herald reporter Jeffrey Gaunt has revealed an employee has stolen $8-10,000.
When Snow asked for a forensic audit, the Ruling Six said, “Pooh, pooh.”
Board President Mike Skala told the Daily Herald he doesn’t want a forensic audit that would concentrate on impropriety. He “prefers a special audit to focus would be on where the money was spent, rather than possible impropriety,” according to the paper.
Now that a tiger has been caught carrying money out of the cage, my guess is that the temporarily Ruling Five still will want to chase pigeons instead of making sure there are no copy cats lurking in the cage?
Or will the taxpayers who are the pigeons turn the tables on the board next April?
Comments:
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Re:
D158's Board President Mike Skala
and topic of forensic audit
Excerpt:
"Skala has served since 1997."
("Tax fight persists in D-158", Northwest Herald, Date November 08, 2004, by JEFF KOLKEY)
---------------------
1. Mr. Skala has therefore been on the board for approximately a decade.
2. Much (perhaps all) of what has been dragged out of D158's "closets" since 2004 has therefore been on his "watch" so-to-speak.
(A friend has asked me exactly WHAT he has been "watching". LOL She's smart, succinct, funny and doesn't tolerate baloney. She's also less naive than I am.)
Without rehashing all of the fascinating "surprises" that have been in the news, I, respectfully, don't agree with Mr. Skala's preferences.
As to other board majority members supporting a forensic audit (and the article's paragraphs devoted to his thoughts on that)? The board majority includes 3 other LONG TERM board members (two soon ending 4 year terms, 1 over a decade) - who were also on "watch" when most or all of these things happened. (My friend just laughed when I told her this part.)
When (freedom of opinion) logic from one majority member is (close quote) "When I was younger I could have stolen, but, I didn't.", I wonder what the chances are of a forensic audit happening by choice.
(My friend asked me how they can do "serious faced apologies", how they seemingly "pooh-pooh" issues she finds serious, or how they can think that the public doesn't read the word "lie" everytime they say "misinformed"/"omitted"/"misquoted"..... I wish I had some answers for her.)
If nothing else a forensic audit could prove the district is clean but just bad at basic math/basic accounting/basic record keeping/record storage - and should probably attend some of its own classes.
It's not just this "straw" or that "straw" that breaks this camel's back and points to doing a forensic audit. It's that, when you look at the entire picture full of little red flags, you wonder why anyone would NOT do a forensic audit.
---------------
Thanks for reading.
'Have to sign off now, my friend wants to explain some concept about flying pigs.
D158's Board President Mike Skala
and topic of forensic audit
Excerpt:
"Skala has served since 1997."
("Tax fight persists in D-158", Northwest Herald, Date November 08, 2004, by JEFF KOLKEY)
---------------------
1. Mr. Skala has therefore been on the board for approximately a decade.
2. Much (perhaps all) of what has been dragged out of D158's "closets" since 2004 has therefore been on his "watch" so-to-speak.
(A friend has asked me exactly WHAT he has been "watching". LOL She's smart, succinct, funny and doesn't tolerate baloney. She's also less naive than I am.)
Without rehashing all of the fascinating "surprises" that have been in the news, I, respectfully, don't agree with Mr. Skala's preferences.
As to other board majority members supporting a forensic audit (and the article's paragraphs devoted to his thoughts on that)? The board majority includes 3 other LONG TERM board members (two soon ending 4 year terms, 1 over a decade) - who were also on "watch" when most or all of these things happened. (My friend just laughed when I told her this part.)
When (freedom of opinion) logic from one majority member is (close quote) "When I was younger I could have stolen, but, I didn't.", I wonder what the chances are of a forensic audit happening by choice.
(My friend asked me how they can do "serious faced apologies", how they seemingly "pooh-pooh" issues she finds serious, or how they can think that the public doesn't read the word "lie" everytime they say "misinformed"/"omitted"/"misquoted"..... I wish I had some answers for her.)
If nothing else a forensic audit could prove the district is clean but just bad at basic math/basic accounting/basic record keeping/record storage - and should probably attend some of its own classes.
It's not just this "straw" or that "straw" that breaks this camel's back and points to doing a forensic audit. It's that, when you look at the entire picture full of little red flags, you wonder why anyone would NOT do a forensic audit.
---------------
Thanks for reading.
'Have to sign off now, my friend wants to explain some concept about flying pigs.
Oops - in my frustration I said 2 members were ending 4 year terms.
Here's the NWH excerpt about long term members from a special (http://www.nwherald.com/Huntley/365108423745373.php) Huntley piece ? - no date but the expiration times are a hint. (You have to allow for 4 year or 2 year terms that might be combined and any increase that came up after the article. Ex. Skala has been around since 1997 so 8 years quoted here is no longer accurate.)
Mike Skala, board president
Years with board: 8
Term ends: 2007
Phone: (847) 659-6158
Frank Coleman, board member
Years with board: 8
Term ends: 2007
Phone: (847) 659-6158
Rosemary Herringer, board member
Years with board: 2 1/2 years
Term ends: 2007
Phone: (847) 961-5668
Kim Skaja, board member
Years with board: 10
Term ends: 2009
Phone: (815) 923-8810
-----------
Condensed - Mr. Skala, Ms. Skaja, and Mr. Coleman cover a lot of years and Ms. Herringer is ending a 4 year soon.
The reader can make his/her own conclusions.
Here's the NWH excerpt about long term members from a special (http://www.nwherald.com/Huntley/365108423745373.php) Huntley piece ? - no date but the expiration times are a hint. (You have to allow for 4 year or 2 year terms that might be combined and any increase that came up after the article. Ex. Skala has been around since 1997 so 8 years quoted here is no longer accurate.)
Mike Skala, board president
Years with board: 8
Term ends: 2007
Phone: (847) 659-6158
Frank Coleman, board member
Years with board: 8
Term ends: 2007
Phone: (847) 659-6158
Rosemary Herringer, board member
Years with board: 2 1/2 years
Term ends: 2007
Phone: (847) 961-5668
Kim Skaja, board member
Years with board: 10
Term ends: 2009
Phone: (815) 923-8810
-----------
Condensed - Mr. Skala, Ms. Skaja, and Mr. Coleman cover a lot of years and Ms. Herringer is ending a 4 year soon.
The reader can make his/her own conclusions.
Well how about that! The Northwest Herald now has the story about the alleged theft in D158 "Alleged D-158 theft examined", [published on Sun, Jul 23, 2006], By MICHAEL GIBBS
Is the Northwest Herald (I hope) back in the game of going after issues that hurt us and our kids which have been dragged out of D158 instead of dancing on the edges of the relatively unimportant side story diversions?
Content includes "District 158 officials contacted both the Algonquin and Huntley police departments because the district's Office of Fiscal Services previously was located in Huntley. The office was moved to Algonquin a year and a half ago, Superintendent John Burkey said."
So the mind leap might be that it didn't just happen in the last six months and went undiscovered and might have continued this way except for the arrival of people like Larry Snow and Tony Quagliano on the scene. It is, after all, a fact that THEY (and NOT old or current board members or political action committee supporters) were the original catalysts for financial accountability - even before one became a board member and the other became part of the resident Financial Advisory Committee.
Isn't it also interesting that the information comes out after the board majority, once again, tried to silence Snow's voice?
Does it strike anyone as strange that a board member has to turn to FOIA requests to find out information because of not being able to get requested items through normal channels that should be available to an elected official in the performance of his/her job - to insure proper oversight? Especially in a District with 158's history?
And, if prior to a meeting a board member apparently asks specific questions about what's coming up for that meeting and gets no answer, partial answers, incorrect answers from Administrators - why should other board members pout and snit about his having to bring up questions AT said meeting?
Open and Honest Government and Transparency in Communication? Does it exist in D158?
Will there be even MORE surprises?
Don't you just HATE cliffhangers - especially when they affect YOUR money and YOUR childn's education and future?
Is the Northwest Herald (I hope) back in the game of going after issues that hurt us and our kids which have been dragged out of D158 instead of dancing on the edges of the relatively unimportant side story diversions?
Content includes "District 158 officials contacted both the Algonquin and Huntley police departments because the district's Office of Fiscal Services previously was located in Huntley. The office was moved to Algonquin a year and a half ago, Superintendent John Burkey said."
So the mind leap might be that it didn't just happen in the last six months and went undiscovered and might have continued this way except for the arrival of people like Larry Snow and Tony Quagliano on the scene. It is, after all, a fact that THEY (and NOT old or current board members or political action committee supporters) were the original catalysts for financial accountability - even before one became a board member and the other became part of the resident Financial Advisory Committee.
Isn't it also interesting that the information comes out after the board majority, once again, tried to silence Snow's voice?
Does it strike anyone as strange that a board member has to turn to FOIA requests to find out information because of not being able to get requested items through normal channels that should be available to an elected official in the performance of his/her job - to insure proper oversight? Especially in a District with 158's history?
And, if prior to a meeting a board member apparently asks specific questions about what's coming up for that meeting and gets no answer, partial answers, incorrect answers from Administrators - why should other board members pout and snit about his having to bring up questions AT said meeting?
Open and Honest Government and Transparency in Communication? Does it exist in D158?
Will there be even MORE surprises?
Don't you just HATE cliffhangers - especially when they affect YOUR money and YOUR childn's education and future?
"The board speaks with one voice"
-- Illinois Association of School Boards
"The District 158 school board should not attempt to muzzle or discourage dissenting public opinions of board members."
-- Northwest Herald
Hm. Are these statements in conflict?
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-- Illinois Association of School Boards
"The District 158 school board should not attempt to muzzle or discourage dissenting public opinions of board members."
-- Northwest Herald
Hm. Are these statements in conflict?
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