Audit reveals inconsistencies
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
A financial audit of the Charter School Administrative Office found that it lacks appropriate methods to disperse money for travel and meal expenses as well as controls to safeguard the office's assets and inventory.
Officials with the office, which functions as a support system for the state's 27 charter schools, said it is in the process of correcting a number of deficiencies.
One of the auditor's findings: Between September 2004 and January 2007, the office spent $41,600 on meals including charter school conferences, special events and banquets, meetings, task force work, staff lunches and farewell parties.
Some of the financial inconsistencies noted by the auditor include:
Acting executive director Maunalei Love told a school board committee that her office "has already implemented" some of the internal auditor's suggestions. Other suggestions also are part of the "action plan" the office has adopted to review and correct procedural and other problems.
Parts of the audit went as far back as 2004.
Love's office is already exploring setting up an arrangement with a travel agent, as suggested by the auditor, to improve travel arrangements so that individuals make their own arrangements through the travel agency and submit the itinerary to the administrative office for approval and payment.
The auditor has recommended new policies for handling deposits from charter schools, including a "lock-box" system in which payments go directly to the bank, as well as having another person other than the financial officer review deposits.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.
