Friday, August 23, 2019
By JORDAN COHEN
NILES
For nearly two months, Lori Simione has been interim treasurer for Niles City Schools in addition to her full-time position as treasurer of the Trumbull County Educational Service Center.
She may not be available to the school district much longer.
“She wasn’t supposed to be here very long,” said schools Superintendent Ann Marie Thigpen, who told the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission Thursday that the district is actively seeking another interim treasurer so Simione can return to the service center.
The commission has overseen expenditures and a recovery plan since Niles schools were declared in fiscal emergency last February.
“We’re looking within a radius of 55 miles [and] trying to lighten this burden,” Thigpen said about the search for the next interim treasurer. The superintendent said there has been one response thus far.
The district is paying TCESC $300 per day for Simione, a certified public accountant. It contracted for her services after placing Treasurer Lori Hudzik on an “unrequested leave of absence” July 1. The action followed strong criticism of Hudzik by the commission for failing to reconcile bank records and complete a five-year financial forecast. The state requires districts to complete both.
Nita Hendryx, one of two state-appointed fiscal supervisors, reported that bank records for July have been reconciled under Simione without the need for any adjustments. The eventual interim replacement will be responsible for completing the five-year forecast.
There was no indication how much longer Simione will be available to Niles schools. Hudzik is on family medical leave, which lasts around 12 weeks according to members of the board of education.
Commission Chairman Bob Foss said another issue for the district is its inability to complete a staffing analysis due to data errors, which he later clarified as wrong codes for identifying various positions.
“It’s really messed up,” he said to commission members. After the meeting, he told The Vindicator the data had been provided by the school district.
Instead, commission members suggested the administration use an alternative analysis that is accessible on the Ohio Department of Education website.
“We have to see if the data is consistent with districts of similar size,” Foss said.
Classes for the new school year in Niles begin Monday.