After the recent grand jury investigation into the board of education’s spending and construction oversight capabilities, Liberty County School System Superintendent Judy Scherer said the slow progress of recent projects, specifically Donell Woods Stadium, was not due to a lack of oversight from the BoE.
“The Liberty County Stadium has on-going issues and they are not directly related to the change in administration,” Scherer said. “Rather, they are related to design issues with the original drawings and specifications provided in the contract by Buckley and Associates.
“These include drainage, irrigation system and the soil content. There are additional issues with the grass contractor — the way the grass sprigs were installed and maintained. The board is currently studying various options to correct the field. Once graduation is held on the field in late May, then the re-grassing process will begin so it can be completed in time for football season,” she said.
Representatives for project architect firm Buckley and Associates did not comment on the situation.
Although Terry Satterfield, foreman for the previous grand jury, said he was satisfied with the answers from both the school board and representatives from Buckley and Associates given during the investigation, he stills recommends the next jury look further into the matter.
According to the term presentments from last session, the Liberty County grand jury is making the following recommendations: “The next grand jury needs to investigate the spending procedures on construction projects; establish an oversight to monitor BoE spending on construction projects; Subpoena former superintendent Dr. Steve Wilmoth; Request that Mr. Roger Osbourne, director of maintenance and operations for the Liberty County BoE, speak to the grand jury about his role as maintenance director.”
Scherer said further investigation will show that all BoE spending is well documented.
“The BOE has spending procedures in place for all spending, including construction projects, and all expenditures are audited by the state of Georgia yearly,” she said. “These audit reports are available to the grand jury and to the public.”
Dave Sapp, the foreman for the current grand jury, said the jury has read the recommendations of the previous session but has not yet decided whether they will heed the advice. To better grasp on the situation, Sapp asked Satterfield to discuss the recommendations with the current jury.
Satterfield will be speaking to the jury March 11.
“We want to hear it from the horse’s mouth,” Sapp said. “Because there’re things we’re unsure of.”
“The Liberty County Stadium has on-going issues and they are not directly related to the change in administration,” Scherer said. “Rather, they are related to design issues with the original drawings and specifications provided in the contract by Buckley and Associates.
“These include drainage, irrigation system and the soil content. There are additional issues with the grass contractor — the way the grass sprigs were installed and maintained. The board is currently studying various options to correct the field. Once graduation is held on the field in late May, then the re-grassing process will begin so it can be completed in time for football season,” she said.
Representatives for project architect firm Buckley and Associates did not comment on the situation.
Although Terry Satterfield, foreman for the previous grand jury, said he was satisfied with the answers from both the school board and representatives from Buckley and Associates given during the investigation, he stills recommends the next jury look further into the matter.
According to the term presentments from last session, the Liberty County grand jury is making the following recommendations: “The next grand jury needs to investigate the spending procedures on construction projects; establish an oversight to monitor BoE spending on construction projects; Subpoena former superintendent Dr. Steve Wilmoth; Request that Mr. Roger Osbourne, director of maintenance and operations for the Liberty County BoE, speak to the grand jury about his role as maintenance director.”
Scherer said further investigation will show that all BoE spending is well documented.
“The BOE has spending procedures in place for all spending, including construction projects, and all expenditures are audited by the state of Georgia yearly,” she said. “These audit reports are available to the grand jury and to the public.”
Dave Sapp, the foreman for the current grand jury, said the jury has read the recommendations of the previous session but has not yet decided whether they will heed the advice. To better grasp on the situation, Sapp asked Satterfield to discuss the recommendations with the current jury.
Satterfield will be speaking to the jury March 11.
“We want to hear it from the horse’s mouth,” Sapp said. “Because there’re things we’re unsure of.”