PEA RIDGE — The findings of a year-long, grueling audit that was described as very tough and emotional, was reported to the Pea Ridge school board Monday night at the regular meeting. Superintendent Mike Van Dyke described 2007-2008 audit as one of the most grueling the district had ever seen.

Some of the findings Van Dyke referred to as immaterial things. “It was that kind of audit,” he said.

Some of the cost of the completion of the new high school was mistakenly added onto the cost of the new Primary School, holding up the closeout with Baldwin Shell Construction management. The depreciation was corrected in the fixed assets.

Certain control and monitoring adjustments were made, such as the reconciliation and approval of the district’s money market accounts and the storage of three check printing keys.

Errors in payroll expenditures were found and corrected, as well as documentation in non-payroll expenditures. The district corrected errors in state and federal compliance by calculating distribution of trust funds and evaluating methods of soliciting qualifications for future construction projects. Federal compliance issues included Food Service director training and time distribution standards.

The audit for the 2008-2009 school year, which has already been completed, was said to “be the best we’ll see,” according to Van Dyke, because of the extreme detail of the 2007-2008 audit.

“It was pretty tough at times, pretty emotional at times ... They were very picky but we run a clean operation,” Van Dyke said.

In other business, the board:

• Approved the minutes for both the November and special board meetings;

• Discussed the financial report as presented by the superintendent;

• Approved two student transfer requests: Mary Christian Hargiss to Pea Ridge from Rogers and Rachel and Randell Faucher to Eureka Springs from Pea Ridge;

• Amended the high school handbook, adding section 5.11 that was mistakenly left out stating students must pass ninth grade algebra in order to graduate;

• Accepted the resignation of Cheryl Tillman as coordinator for substitute teachers and the stipend included;

• Heard an update from high school principal Rick Neal and head football coach Tony Travis regarding the need for a new athletic facility to accommodate the students’ growing interest in athletics within the district; and

• Discussed board member Joshua Ramsey’s membership on the Arvest Bank, Pea Ridge, board of directors, and the fact that board president Jenny Wood’s father-in-law is also on the same board, in compliance with Arkansas Act 1599 disclosure standards.

News, Pages 1 on 12/16/2009