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Appoquinimink leaders outline steps to address state audit, strengthen finance controls
Summary
At a board workshop, district leaders described implementing new internal controls, approval processes, and training after a state audit; the director of finance will require approvals and the district plans ongoing FAC engagement, policy updates and procurement threshold work.
At a board workshop on finance recommendations, Superintendent Dr. Burrows and Director of Finance Alisa Stewart summarized the Appoquinimink School District’s response to a recent state audit and the steps the district is taking to tighten financial controls. The district said it has implemented a requirement that “all expenditures must be approved by the director of finance,” and that the director meets weekly with the superintendent to review financial updates.
The presentation grouped state audit items under governance, reporting and internal controls. Dr. Burrows framed the work as ongoing and described hires and training that are already under way: “Last January, we were able to hire an analyst,” she said, and the analyst is helping take meeting minutes and support monthly reporting. Stewart told the board that FAC minutes are taken by the finance analyst, approved by the FAC, signed by the chair and co‑chair and posted on BoardDocs for public review.
Board members pushed for clearer documentation of superintendent involvement and for timely policy changes. When asked how oversight is documented, the director said it is ‘‘documented via email’’ for now and will be formalized over time. The board also discussed whether the FAC co‑chair should be a board member; Dr. Burrows said that proposal can be recommended to the FAC and that the FAC agenda for Nov. 4 includes officer selection.
On procurement and contract review, the director said the district will establish a procurement work function and create procedures to ensure cost‑effective purchasing and contract review. Board members urged a threshold‑based approach so routine school purchases do not create a single bottleneck, suggesting superintendent sign‑off for higher‑value contracts and CFO or delegated approvals for lower amounts.
District officials emphasized transparency, noting that many recommendations are already in progress and will be presented to the board as policies and procedures are finalized. No formal votes or policy adoptions occurred during the workshop; next steps include policy edits, continued FAC engagement and follow‑up workshops with external experts.
