Jefferson County school board orders two‑year outside financial audit, authorizes RFP

The Jefferson County Board of Education voted July 29 to authorize an outside audit of the district's finances and expenditures covering a two‑year period, and to direct staff to procure a qualified accounting firm through a board‑authorized request for proposals. Board counsel was asked to review procurement rules to determine whether the current audit firm could be excluded from the solicitation.

Board member Craig moved the audit authorization and the motion was seconded; the board approved the measure by voice vote. The motion directs the RFP to include additional parameters for the audit, which the board said will be specified in the solicitation.

The motion came during a period of transition: the district's new superintendent, Dr. Yearwood, said he was in his first month on the job and had been reviewing district operations as part of his onboarding. Board members framed the audit as standard practice when a new leader assumes responsibility and as a way to give the board independent assurance about financial management.

No dollar amount for the audit was discussed during the board motion, and the board did not name a preferred firm. Board counsel was asked to advise whether the procurement code allows exclusion of the incumbent audit contractor from the RFP.

The vote authorizing the RFP was recorded at the meeting; individual roll‑call tallies were not read into the audio record.