IRMO, S.C. — Lexington-Richland School District Five has finished the procurement audit the district has been working on for the last year.
In a special called meeting on Thursday, the school board listened to a presentation by the school's hired financial auditors to go over the final piece.
The district first approved the Jaramillo Accounting Group to perform a procurement audit of the district in March of last year. Phase I of the audit was published in June 2022 and Phase II in September.
"In Phase III we do focus on procurement, purchasing cards, various payments through the accounting system, and the 2008 bond referendum temporary substitute services expenditures," said Audrey Jaramillo, the managing partner of Jaramillo Accounting Group, in charge of the audit.
The audit previously uncovered misspending on construction in the district and misuse of purchasing cards. However, the third phase was a bit lighter.
"We did test teacher supply reimbursement, and happy to note we did not find any issues there at all, with remaining in compliance with state law. And Procurement cards as well, we took a look at those as well and procurement cards as well and followed up on our Phase I questions that arose from those P-Cards," Jaramillo explained.
Now that the audit is out in the open for the public to review the district says they are working to make improvements. Starting with the creation of a new role for an internal auditor for the district.
The Lexington Richland 5 Chief Financial Officer explained that the district has created the job description, duties, and salary, and will post the job opening on the district's website on Friday or Monday.
The district says they will publish a copy of the audit either Friday or Monday, March 27.