Indian River School District officials say they weren’t aware a former administrator had misused public funds, intimidated coworkers or skirted state financial rules before he suddenly retired this year.
In a news conference Friday morning addressing a state audit released this week, Indian River School district administrators and school board members say they weren’t aware of any impropriety by former chief financial officer Patrick Miller.
Miller was placed on administrative leave after an unknown, human resources related incident in April.
Superintendent Susan Bunting declined to elaborate what triggered their call to the state Auditor’s Office.
“We had no indication that things were not being handled accurately, as far as our finances went. He [had] been working in the district for nearly 20 years. The board established great trust in him,” Bunting said.
Employees accused Miller of using their login information to access the state accounting system to process financial transactions.
He also gave a local Boys and Girls Club chapter, of which he was the president, about $33,000 of federal grant money that was earmarked for special education programs.
Miller oversaw the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company, which sold a customized ATV to the district at a roughly $4,500 profit.
Teachers and other staff were also underpaid as they were misclassified in the system. The new financial administrator is reviewing those cases to see if they need to be reimbursed.
The state Attorney General’s Office is reviewing the case.
It’s not the first time Miller faced state scrutiny.
He resigned from the Brandywine School District in the late 1990s when he faced criminal charges for tampering with public records, theft and official misconduct, according to The Daily Times.
Miller ended up with community service by pleading no contest, admitting no guilt in the process.
When asked why Indian River continued to employ him after the charges, district board president Charles Bireley said “We were not aware of that when he was hired.”
The audit and news conference came just days before a $7.4 million tax referendum goes to the ballot.
Should voters reject it, district officials say they would need to cut its payroll by 10 percent – or about 150 teachers, paraprofessionals and other staff members.
Bunting says these revelations should not cause residents to lose faith in the district.
“If we need to improve any practice, we are willing and open to do that. We have been transparent, we’ve worked collaboratively with the Auditor of Accounts and all of his staff and we are willing to make those changes.”
