The reappointment of the Howell K-8 School District Board of Education’s longtime auditor was contested by a board member at a recent meeting.
Board member Timothy O’Brien opposed the selection of Robert Hulsart as auditor for the 2010-11 school year at an Oct. 7 board meeting. He sought to convince his fellow board members that a formal bidding process should occur before a choice is made.
Hulsart and Co., Wall Township, has been the Howell School District’s sole auditing company that has handled the school district’s finances over the past 40 years.
O’Brien said it is necessary to regularly explore other representatives to ensure an objective standing with the school board.
“It’s good to seek fresh faces periodically. [Auditors] should be very objective and very removed,” he said. “It would be beneficial to seek someone who is not connected, with no bias. I would like to see the board engage in some selection process.”
O’Brien said it is a common business practice to hold an open bidding process for the selection of a financial officer and said it would be favorable for the school board as well as residents.
“This is a best practices issue for a board in transition,” O’Brien said, noting that his request is not a reflection on Hulsart’s capabilities as an auditor.
But the majority of the board disagreed with O’Brien, stating that the Howell School District, and therefore Hulsart, had been recently acknowledged by the state for its superior audit efforts.
“The state spoke highly on the audit. We thought that was a validation of our choice. We would be foolish to do this now,” said board President Patricia Blood.
Blood noted that the board went out to bid twice in the past 10 years through the finance committee and found that Hulsart’s price and background information was best for the board.
School officials said a major reason not to go to bid for other auditors was because board refinancing, a service that Hulsart, who charges $24,000 per year, performs for free, has not been completed.
“These are services that he could have charged us for at the board’s expense,” said Assistant Superintendent/Board Secretary Herbert Massa, also noting that Hulsart may indeed charge the board if a bidding process occurs. “But we’ve successfully negotiated through the finance committee that Hulsart will do the extra work at no cost.”
Board member Stephen Levine concurred, noting that a bidding process would leave the board with no professionals in place in time for refinancing and ultimately cost the district more money. He suggested the board go out to bid the following year to solidify savings already projected by Hulsart.
“When the audit was complete and the report given, that was technically a completion of his services. Refinancing takes place after June 30, and it’s already in the next school year,” Levine said. “We need someone in place at the time that work needs to be done.”
O’Brien expressed his concern over the board’s worry that Hulsart might charge the district if the board went to bid.
“Next year is now, we don’t have time to wait. The concern of the board, from what I see, is that our auditor is going to be upset and will not support us if we go out to bid,” O’Brien said. “And that is no way to conduct business practices.”
During the discussion, the board called the question on O’Brien, forcing a vote on the appointment of Hulsart. Hulsart was approved by all members of the board except for O’Brien.
The board made note that the finance committee would look into going out to bid for the following school year, and will include it on the next committee agenda.
Aside from O’Brien, the public was also concerned over the appointment of Hulsart.
“After hearing the debate, it was clear what Mr. Massa was saying is that there’s a gun to their head or he (Hulsart) wouldn’t do his work,” resident Robert Nicastro said. “It is deplorable you would shut down another board member before he could finish.”
In other news, the district has been forced to return a $132,000 sanitation system after the system was determined to be not in regulation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Zimek Micro-Mist Generators, developed by Florida-based Zimek Technologies, are designed to automatically decontaminate rooms, vehicles and other enclosed spaces by using a disinfecting micro-particle application called Dri-Mist.
The system, which requires only brief operator involvement, can kill a range of problematic pathogens, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), H5N1 (bird flu), VRE, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, toxic mold, mildew and allergens, and the H1N1 virus.
The Howell School District would have been the first district in the country to employ Zimek machines.
Jeff Sharp, director of buildings and grounds for the school district, said the machines would eliminate any obstacle or delays if a virus was to hit Howell schools.
However, Sharp reported at an Oct. 7 meeting that the EPA had yet to approve one chemical the Zimek systems use, and therefore, cannot be legally operated.
“After a review, there seemed to be a problem with one chemical,” he said. “Until testing on this certain chemical is done, we cannot use them. They are not labeled for school use.”
Sharp said the district explored other alternatives in the hope of keeping the machines, such as other products to use in the system that have already been EPA-approved. But officials were unsuccessful.
Resident Aileen Levine said, “As a mom, I am grateful that you have taken the time to investigate the use of the Zimek machines and have made decisions based on the health and safety of our children.”
Officials said the machines have been returned to the manufacturer and the purchase price has been fully refunded. place at the time that work needs to be done.”
O’Brien expressed his concern over the board’s worry that Hulsart might charge the district if the board went to bid.
“Next year is now, we don’t have time to wait. The concern of the board, from what I see, is that our auditor is going to be upset and will not support us if we go out to bid,” O’Brien said. “And that is no way to conduct business practices.”
During the discussion, the board called the question on the reappointment of Hulsart, forcing a vote. Hulsart was approved by all members of the board except for O’Brien.
The board made note that the finance committee would look into going out to bid for the following school year, and will include it on the next committee agenda.
Aside from O’Brien, the public was also concerned over the appointment of Hulsart.
“After hearing the debate, it was clear what Mr. Massa was saying is that there’s a gun to their head or he [Hulsart] wouldn’t do his work,” resident Robert Nicastro said. “It is deplorable you would shut down another board member before he could finish.”
In other news, the district has been forced to return a $132,000 sanitation system after the system was determined to be not in regulation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Zimek Micro-Mist Generators, developed by Florida-based Zimek Technologies, are designed to automatically decontaminate rooms, vehicles and other enclosed spaces by using a disinfecting micro-particle application called Dri-Mist.
The system, which requires only brief operator involvement, can kill a range of problematic pathogens, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), H5N1 (bird flu), VRE, hepatitis C, tuberculosis, toxic mold, mildew and allergens, and the H1N1 virus.
The Howell School District would have been the first district in the country to employ Zimek machines.
Jeff Sharp, director of buildings and grounds for the school district, said the machines would eliminate any obstacle or delays if a virus was to hit Howell schools.
However, Sharp reported at an Oct. 7 meeting that the EPA had yet to approve one chemical the Zimek systems use, and there- fore, cannot be legally operated.
“After a review, there seemed to be a problem with one chemical,” he said. “Until testing on this certain chemical is done, we cannot use them. They are not labeled for school use.”
Sharp said the district explored other alternatives in the hope of keeping the machines, such as other products to use in the system that have already been EPA approved. But officials were unsuccessful.
Resident Aileen Levine said, “As a mom, I am grateful that you have taken the time to investigate the use of the Zimek machines and have made decisions based on the health and safety of our children.”
Officials said the machines have been returned to the manufacturer and the purchase price has been fully refunded.