Johnston County Schools board member critical of colleagues over budget shortfall

A Johnston County Schools board member was critical of his other board members and the school system, blaming them for a budget shortfall that's over $8 million.
Posted 12/11/2019, 5:06:13 AM

POLICE SAY THEY ARE NOT

RELEASING FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT

THE CASE

>>> FOR THE FIRST TIME WE ARE

HEARING FROM A JOHNSON COUNTY

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER WHO WROTE A

SCATHING OP-ED ABOUT FELLOW

MEMBERS WHO ARE MISS MANAGING

FUNDS.

WE HAVE REACTION.

>> Reporter: SCHOOL BOARD

MEMBERS OPENED UP TONIGHT'S

MEETING SAYING THE FINANCIAL

CRISIS ISN'T BECAUSE OF

WRONGDOING.

ONE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER SAYS

CORRUPTION WITHIN THE SCHOOL

DISTRICT IS TO BLAME.

>> I THINK A MISS MANAGEMENT OF

TAX PAYER FUNDS AND

MISREPRESENTATION OF TAX PAYER

FUNDS CONSEQUENCE SUBSTITUTES

SOME TYPE OF INVESTIGATION.

>> Reporter: RONALD JOHNSON

ISN'T HOLDING BACK CALLING OUT

THE JOHNSON COUNTY SCHOOL

BOARD.

>> TRANSPARENCY IS OF THE

UTMOST IMPORTANCE.

>> Reporter: IN CONFIDENCE AND

LACK OF LEADERSHIP LED TO

FINANCIAL CRISIS WITHIN THE

SCHOOL DISTRICT AND HE BELIEVES

PEOPLE IN THE BUDGET OFFICE

KNEW ABOUT THE SHORTFALL AND

LIED ABOUT IT.

THE JOHNSTON COUNTY SCHOOLS

FACES A BUDGET SHORTFALL OF 8.8

MILLION DOLLARS.

>> AS MUCH AS WE ARE GROWING

IT'S HARD TO PLAN.

>> Reporter: THE BOARD CHAIR

TELLS ME ACCUSATIONS WITH

CORRUPTION WITHIN THE BOARD

AREN'T TRUE.

>> IF THERE'S SOMETHING OUT

THERE, TURN IT OVER TO US AND

WE'LL GET IT INVESTIGATED BUT

AS FAR AS I KNOW, NOTHING HAS

BEEN PROVEN THAT THERE'S NO

CORRUPTION, THERE'S NO

INCOMPETENT IN THE SCHOOL

SYSTEM.

>> Reporter: MR. JOHNSON SAYS

THE BOARD NEEDS TO COME CLEAN.

>> I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED

ABOUT THE COMMENTARY THAT

OPENED THE BOARD MEETING.

NOT ONLY DO I KNOW IT, THEY

KNOW IT.

>> Reporter: SO RIGHT NOW THE

SCHOOL BOARD IS CURRENTLY

PLAYING THE WAITING GAME.

THE SCHOOL BOARD DID REQUEST

8.8 MILLION FROM COUNTY

COMMISSIONERS LAST WEEK.

NO TELLING HOW MUCH THEY'LL

RECEIVE AND WHEN THEY'LL

RECEIVE IT.

KATHRYN.