The LSTA is demanding the school district pay up $510,000 due to them because of mapping miscalculation errors from outdated mapping systems, documents show.
See the attorney’s letter here.
In response, State Monitor Azzara says he will conduct an audit of the LSTA.
Azzara wrote, “I will be engaging an independent accounting firm shortly to conduct the audit of the LSTA required pursuant to P.L.2016, c.22 (N.J.S. 18A:39-1d)* Failure to provide access to the underlying data including the map used to determine the primary source of funding (the number of mandated students) or to the Versa Trans system to audit the LSTA’s internal controls over information technology will result in the audit firm issuing a disclaimer of opinion indicating the auditor is unable to complete an accurate audit report and stating that an opinion of the firm’s financial status could not be determined. If the auditor is unable to verify questionable data made available, the auditor may issue an adverse opinion on both the financial statements and internal controls, the worst type of financial report that can be issued.
Providing the information and systems “read only” access that I requested for Gus to review will give the LSTA an opportunity to adjust its financial statements, if necessary, prior to the independent audit that will be submitted to the Commissioner and become public information. I ask that you reconsider your position regarding refusal to grant “read only” access to the VersaTrans System and in particular the new map which was created in part by LSTA management with no independent validation.
* d. The State monitor appointed pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2006, c.15 (C.18A:7A-55) shall annually enter into a contract with an independent entity to audit the implementation of the pilot program. The audit for the prior school year shall be submitted to the State monitor no later than December 1 of each year, and the State monitor shall transmit a copy of the audit to the Commissioner of Education. If a State monitor has not been appointed, then the board of education shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this subsection.”
Attorney Inzelbuch, who has been offered to return to the District, says this is ridiculous.
“This is ridiculous. How could it be? Someone needs to get to the bottom of this. ASAP. Monitor Azzara has the right to review -LSTA has right to request. More infighting. More of a circus. Taxpayers deserve accountability.”
The bigger question, says Inzelbuch, is “who is running transportation and how did we get here?”
Things just seem to get better and better.
And now a Judge has found the Zoning Board in contempt for taking it upon themselves to rezone most of East County Line from Residential to Conmercial.
The zoning board is just another example of exclusion. If E. County Line were to remain residential, none of the housing would be eaqually affordable or available for the non-Jewish residents of Lakewood. One should not forget it’s history. Sadly, it has the propensity to tragically repeats itself.
Steven, what in the world are you talking about, “equally affordable”. Affordability has nothing to do with being Jewish, and the price of a house is the same regardless of your religion.
Housing in Lakewood is unaffordable to many, Jewish and non Jewish.