………..In the past few weeks, the mistrust of Hancock County school system has grown to epic proportions. Whatever trust and faith there had been in both the Board of Education and the Administration was destroyed in one fell swoop with the sudden announcement of the departure of former CFO Joe Campinelli. When the action was taken by the Board it would have been the time to explain to residents the reasons for Campinelli’s termination. No explanation was provided by the superintendent.
………..At the same time we were informed that the West Virginia Board of Education had designated the school district as “needs assistance”. Those familiar with the WV Board of Education know that’s a step towards the State School Board taking over the Hancock County schools.
…………I sat through months of School Board Meetings and Campinelli always reported financial projections were on target. That’s a quantum leap from the message to staff from Superintendent Dan Enich that the school system is in such dire financial straights that even laying off staff would not produce enough revenue to get us out of the crisis. The consolidation or closure of schools was listed as a possibility.
………….The news that we are 145 school personnel over the State funding formula came as a shock. The County is fully funding each one of those positions. Enich said that there had been no layoffs in the County in ten years despite declining enrollment and reduced tax payments. He also cited positions which were added during COVID utilizing the COVID funds. Those positions also were never reduced. Enich laid the blame squarely at the feet of former School Superintendent Dawn Petrovich.
………..Then over the weekend a paper was distributed to homes in Chester refuting Enich’s claim and saying that when Petrovich departed there was a $9 million surplus and listing the salaries of the administrative.personnel along with the raises they had received. Almost all of the salaries were in the six-figure range.
……….With the news that school closures and/or consolidation is on the table, concerned residents are already gathering their forces for petition drives and obtaining the finances through Freedom of Information Act requests.
………Fixing this will not be easy and it will not be without heartache. The question that needs to be asked and answered is, “Whose fault is it that we have arrived at this juncture?”
……… Regardless of what transpired in the Finance Office, the Superintendent also is to blame because he had an obligation to monitor our financial situation. And remember, Enich reports to the Board of Education, the elected members charged with overseeing the actions of the Superintendent. Were they not provided necessary information about the finances?
…………The governmental bodies throughout the county vary in what information they provide and they all should follow the City of Chester’s lead. Each meeting City Clerk Tara Ayers provides Council and those in attendance a full packet of backup material which includes an accounting of funds spent from utilities to supplies. We also receive an accounting of what funds were deposited into the city’s coffers. Every governmental body should provide this. We should demand the same transparency for the County Commission, City Council and the Board of Education.
…………..Full disclosure is now crucial. It’s also important that we in the media get every bit of financial information that is legally available to us from the State. I plan to file a freedom of information act request to obtain those records. And, while we don’t print rumors, we need to investigate whether any of those rumors are true.
……..Sadly, because the adults in the situation failed to address the financial shortcomings, it will be the students who will suffer.
