Cartersville school board to review booster club finances
by Mark Andrews
Sep 27, 2011 | 1689 views | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The city of Cartersville Board of Education on Monday held a special called meeting in which they voted to approve a $3,800 contract with Ronald Mesimer to review Cartersville High School booster clubs to assure the clubs are in compliance with school board policies and procedures regarding finances. This comes after the system last week received an open records request regarding information on the use of funds raised in booster clubs.

"This is a review, it's not an investigation," Superintendent Howard Hinesley said, adding there was no one booster group in particular under review.

Hinesley said the board does not suspect any wrongdoing on behalf of any school booster clubs, but said the board has received questions and complaints about how booster clubs channel their funding.

"One way to approach this is to turn your head to it and say, 'we're going to ignore it,' but, I tell you, personally I have a problem with that," Hinesley said to a group of about 10 boosters. "You expect us to teach your children the proper attitude to reinforce a system of values and I personally, and this board, personally and as a group, want to be consistent."

Finance Committee Chairwoman Kelley Dial said the board had put under review two years ago policies concerning donated funds to booster clubs after being questioned of the management of the donated funds.

"In preparing the response to [last week's] open records request, more questions have been raised which must be addressed as the board continues to monitor the new policies and make sure all money is being accounted for properly," Dial said. "... We are asking for a review of concessions operations including items for resale, purchasing and bidding policies, processes and compliance with regard to extra curricular activities and financial safeguards including cash ... procedures as related to our support organizations."

She said the review should be completed by December's board meeting.

Hinesley said beginning on Friday the school website will have a survey available for boosters to express their concerns to the school board in terms of handling booster funds.