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Residents press MSAD 51 board on summer invoices; board orders policy review after legal memo
Summary
Residents at the Sept. 4 MSAD 51 board meeting raised concerns about six summer invoices totaling $277,354.99 and questioned whether proper bidding and contracts were used. Superintendent Jeff Porter said a legal opinion found district procedures compliant and the board moved to review purchasing policy DJ.
Residents pressed the MSAD 51 (RSU 51) board on Sept. 4 about summer facilities spending after a set of invoices for work by Doton Construction was circulated in the community.
Jacqueline Story of Cumberland told the board copies of six invoices totaling $277,354.99 were shared with her family and said "half of those invoices exceeded the board policy" and that no contracts accompanied the invoices. She cited a state bidding requirement she said applies to amounts over $250,000 and urged the board to make details public and explain oversight steps.
Other public speakers, including Michael Sweat and Dave Noonan, urged stronger fiduciary oversight, more detailed invoice line items (for example, separating "painting materials" from labor), and scheduling finance committee meetings at times that allow working residents to attend.
Superintendent Jeff Porter responded that he had requested a legal opinion and had reviewed district procedures. Porter said Maine law and district policy provide different thresholds: state statute (cited in the meeting as MRS/MRSA 17-43-a) allows separate, distinct summer projects to be treated individually for the $250,000 competitive-bidding threshold, and district policy DJ has more restrictive internal limits. Porter told the board the district's legal review (draft available to the board) concluded the district followed applicable law and procedures and that the word "fraudulent" was inappropriate without proof.
Board members agreed to examine internal controls. Chair Leanne and finance committee members said they would provide more regular updates to the board, and policy chair Jesse said policy DJ (purchasing/bidding), last reviewed in 2013, would be moved up for immediate review at the next policy committee meeting.
What happens next: the superintendent said the district would share the final legal memo with the board when complete and the policy committee will review DJ to resolve any inconsistency between district thresholds and state statute. The board did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting.
