SLPS audit committee reviews finance policy DA, elects chair and secretary

The SLPS Audit Committee reviewed the district's finance policy DA, discussed whether the committee should have stronger authority over internal audits, elected Dr. Timu as chair for a one-year term and Emily Hubbard as secretary, and moved into executive session.

The committee reviewed Policy DA (fiscal responsibility), which the committee recorder described as directing the audit committee to "make recommendations to the board regarding selection of the accounting firm, ensure fraud prevention practices, review board-adopted ethics and conflict of interest policies, while monitoring board member and staff adherence to those policies, reviewing administrative procedures relating to purchasing, payment and management of funds received through grants and control of receipts through student activity funds and fundraisers, and working with auditors and any state or federal officials to facilitate all audits." The policy was described in the meeting as an existing board policy that was adopted by the full board in February 2025.

The exchange focused on gaps members said the written policy does not address. Dr. Timu said the audit committee should be involved in hiring and removing the internal auditor and should review the internal auditor's annual audit schedule: "the internal auditor should be making the annual internal audit plan and be reporting to the audit committee who, the committee will have an opportunity to kind of improve it or accept it as it is." He recommended the policy not be finalized until the committee and governance review internal-audit responsibilities and resources.

Board attorney Miss McLaughlin clarified the policy's status during the meeting: "the board policy itself was reviewed by the governance committee and adopted by the full board this last February." She said the audit committee could forward recommended revisions back to the governance committee for formal consideration.

Amy Boschier, who identified herself as a community member, was nominated for chair and declined, saying she is "here as a community member with a broad background in finance, not specific to accounting. And I don't feel qualified to be the chair." Dr. Timu accepted a nomination with a caveat he could serve for one year and asked for staff and secretary support if appointed.

The committee voted to approve minutes from the May 5, 2025, audit committee meeting and then held formal elections for committee officers. In a roll-call vote, the committee elected Dr. Timu as chair (members voting yes included the committee's voting members present) and Emily Hubbard was nominated and approved as committee secretary. Members discussed meeting frequency and recommended monthly meetings for the near term, with a potential shift to quarterly once initial structural work is complete; members said an ideal committee size is five to seven community members, with at least three from the board side for independence.

Several members emphasized the distinction between the audit committee policy and a separate internal audit charter, noting the charter defines the internal auditor's authority, access to records, reporting lines and other operational details. Committee members agreed the policy could be referred back to the governance committee with recommendations to address internal-audit authority, resourcing and independence.

Before adjourning the public portion of the meeting, a motion passed to move into executive session under the cited closed-meeting provisions referenced by the committee (the motion referenced statutory sections discussed during the meeting). The committee entered closed session.

The committee left next steps as: recruiting community members with finance backgrounds to fill vacancies; preparing recommended revisions to Policy DA and, if needed, forwarding them to the governance committee; and continuing monthly meetings while the committee establishes scope and duties.