Group wants audit of Cape schools

Concerns about Cape Girardeau schools' financial situation have led a group of residents to seek a state audit of the district.

A dozen district patrons assembled Monday night at a Cape Girardeau meeting hall to discuss the process, which requires 1,502 people to sign a petition asking for Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill's office to perform an audit.

The cost of the audit, estimated between $16,000 and $24,000, falls to the district if the required signatures are obtained.

"We know this comes at a cost, but in the end we think it will be a good thing," said Shelly Penny, who is organizing the petition drive and is the parent of a Cape Girardeau student. "There may be people who do not like our view, and everyone has a right to their opinion."

The group petitioning for the audit seeks to answer two main questions:

Where does the district's money go?

Why is the district in the financial state it's in?

The district is on track to deficit spend around $2 million this year and is just a few years away from dropping below the minimum fund balance level allowed under state law. As a result, the school board is now considering $1.3 million in budget cuts, including the elimination of several teaching positions. The board will vote on the cuts at a meeting Monday.

Cape Girardeau schools superintendent Mark Bowles said he doesn't think a state audit would necessarily answer those questions, and he's concerned about the potential cost to the district.

"The police don't just go in and do something without probable cause. I don't see $20,000 worth of probable cause," Bowles said. "That's one of our teacher's salaries."

The school district undergoes an independent audit by a local certified public accountant every year. This year's audit contained no discrepancies. Bowles said the group should have contacted him with their concerns before proceeding with an audit petition.

"If they can't get their questions answered here, then I could understand an audit," Bowles said. "This is a huge expense to generate information that is just going to reassure what we already know and

that isn't going to answer their questions anyway."

But Penny and the other petitioners said the district has not been forthcoming with information.

Petitioner Robin Cole said the district should support the audit because it might buttress the public's faith in the district.

"Schools are under pressure to restore taxpayer confidence," Cole said. "If an audit could restore that confidence, then it would be an outstanding thing. Hopefully, the school district will see the wisdom in that."

There is no time limit on the petition. The group will have a booth set up at Westfield Shoppingtown West Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the J.C. Penney court.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 128