NE Valley Times

Arizona State Rep. Joseph Chaplik (R-3) has expressed his concerns about the Fountain Hills Unified School District after a routine audit revealed a high number of errors and missing funds. In a statement, Chaplik described the list of errors as "incredible" and suggested that it reflected chaos within the district's operations.

According to Chaplik, the Arizona Auditor General's report, which was received by the Fountain Hills district in May 2023, highlighted over 50 individual deficiencies in the district's 2022 audit. These deficiencies resulted in noncompliance with financial reporting requirements and amounted to over $2.8 million in missing or unaccounted for funds.

The errors identified in the audit included a failure to secure written quotes for contracts within the district, a lack of receipts for work done, multiple late payments resulting in additional fees, and a lack of formal district training on the proper use of district credit cards.

As a result of these findings, Chaplik revealed that there have been multiple complaints filed with the Arizona Attorney General's office regarding the conduct of the Fountain Hills Unified School District. He emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in public education, stating that the public's trust in the institution can only be upheld through these measures.

The Arizona Auditor General provided the Fountain Hills Governing Board and District Management with a corrective action plan on May 24th. The plan outlined the discovered failures and requested that they be rectified within the following ninety days. The corrective action plan included addressing failures in education, reporting, and conflicts of interest between district employees and contracted work. It also highlighted the need for compliance with financial transparency processes and proper financial authority for approving and making expenditures.

Joseph Chaplik, a Republican, was first elected to the Arizona House in 2020. They serve on the Commerce and Health & Human Services committees. Chaplik resides in Scottsdale, according to the Arizona House.

The concerns raised by Rep. Chaplik highlight the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability in public education. The errors and missing funds identified in the routine audit of the Fountain Hills Unified School District indicate the need for immediate corrective actions to restore public trust in the institution.