Northeastern education officials comment on school district use
LINCOLN — Two large digital scoreboards purchased and installed in school gymnasiums by a Nebraska school district using money from its student nutrition fund were not appropriate, a spokesman for the Nebraska Department of Education said Monday.
Nebraska State Auditor Mike Foley last week sent a scathing letter to the Chase County Public School District in southwestern Nebraska, accusing the district of taking money from a nonprofit school food account. Approximately $125,000 was misappropriated for two “large video scoreboards.”
The school district responded that it was confident it purchased the video display panels “appropriately and transparently” after consulting with the Nebraska Department of Education.
NE auditor criticizes Chase County Public School District for using lunch funds on gym scoreboard
A law firm representing the district told Foley’s audit team in a letter that while the boards are used for sports, they also display nutritional information. The district has a long-standing practice of students lining up on the walking path in the gymnasium, where boards deliver nutrition messages to students on their way to the cafeteria, the company said.
However, the law firm added that the district is prepared to take corrective action if directed by the state Department of Education or the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The state Department of Education will ask the Chase County School District to provide bids on the three monitors and notify the department of its selection, spokesman David Jespersen said Monday in response to a query from the Nebraska Examiner. Approval from relevant authorities is required.
“School Nutrition Program funds will be reimbursed based on the approved menu presentation costs less the approved amount,” Jesperson said in a statement.
“The original fee did not meet the funding requirements for approval,” he said.
The state audit panel questioned how “any good-faith argument can be made” that the purchase was for a “digital menu board” or for use “exclusively in the cafeteria.” (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Auditor)
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