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Litchfield selectmen narrow proposed forensic audit scope after state estimates $750,000 price tag
Summary
First Selectman Denise Raap said House Bill 5323’s proposed forensic audit of Litchfield Public Schools and Region 6 would likely require outsourcing at an estimated $750,000; Region 20 first selectmen agreed to limit the audit to calculating Region 20’s formation costs and tracing funding sources, and selectmen raised concerns about access to records and possible improper transfers.
First Selectman Denise Raap told the Board of Selectmen on April 21 that House Bill 5323, which proposes a forensic audit of Litchfield Public Schools and Region 6, would likely need to be outsourced at an estimated cost of $750,000. The Region 20 first selectmen agreed to narrow the audit’s scope to determine the actual costs of creating Region 20 and to identify the sources of those funds, Raap said.
The narrower scope is intended to increase the bill’s chance of passage by reducing projected costs, Raap said. She also noted that state auditors, along with the region’s state representative and senator, communicated the original cost estimate and the recommendation to limit the review.
Selectmen John Bongiorno said the Board has struggled to obtain clear financial records: Region 20’s superintendent and chief financial officer do not have access to Litchfield Public Schools’ financial records, he said, making it difficult to determine what occurred and prompting a request for a quarter‑end audit. "There were numerous changes between March and June 30th that did not have Board of Education approval," Bongiorno said, arguing the Board had been provided incorrect information.
Selectman Dan Morosani voiced similar concerns about potential statutory violations, saying failures to report and unauthorized transfers raise questions about whether state law was breached. Raap said formal requests for restitution of funds would come through the Board of Finance rather than the Board of Selectmen.
Raap also warned of a separate procedural development: a petition circulating in Morris would move the Region 20 district meeting to a May 5 referendum if adopted. She said that if one town proceeds with a referendum, all towns in the district must do so, and estimated Litchfield’s cost for running a single polling location at about $10,000.
The Board did not take a formal vote related to the audit at the April 21 meeting. Raap announced related calendar items: the public hearing on the FY 2026–2027 budget is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Litchfield Intermediate School, and the Town Meeting to adopt the budget is scheduled for May 14 at Lakeview High School.
