3-20-2024 9:17am

Alamogordo Public Schools Board Meeting Audit Clean Bill of Health ZERO Issues Found

The Alamogordo Public Schools met on Tuesday 3-18-24, in regular session with an overview and detailed presentation of audit findings. The audit was conducted by Jaramillo Accounting Group as required by the State of New Mexico. As required by the state if there were ANY anomalies they are required to be reported to the state.

The audit results showed a significant improvement in compliance, protections and controls and no reportable issues for the last operating year to present.

This is a significant change for the better and the auditing firm issued praise to the prior school board and prior administration under the leadership last year of Superintendent Pamela Renteria and Board President Judy Rabon for proactive controls and cleanup from past audits.

This is a significant change from the headlines in 2019 from the Alamogordo Daily News in a story by Nicole Maxwell that read, Alamogordo Schools Audit Shows District Plagued by Payroll Issues, Possible Fraud. The audit of 2019 showed 17 findings in the audit included several findings that warranted further notification to the State Auditor’s Office and to law enforcement. In 2019, the APS Board of Education unknowingly approved of the illegal contract due to a lack of disclosure and alleged fraudulent actions, the audit states. It appears there is fraud, waste or abuse of district funds, the audit of 2019 stated.

In 2019, when the fiscal year 2018 regular audit was discussed, changes began being implemented such as hiring an outside accounting firm and changes to administration coming in the wake of some other damning reports. By January 2019, Superintendent Jerrett Perry had been serving as interim superintendent following Superintendent Adrianne Salas' retirement in September 2018. Perry left the system December 21st of 2021 and Dr. Keith Moore assumed the reins and improvements were significant from the 2019 findings.

In February of 2023 Dr. Moore was placed on administrative leave and ultimately released from the APS system under a cloud of allegations of championing critical race theory and other concerns and then Pam Renteria assumed the role of Superintendent. In January of 2024 a new school board was elected with an agenda of sweeping change and "cleanup of the Alamogordo Public Schools system." Superintendent Pamela Renteria was placed on leave and an interim superintendent is again in place, Michael Crabtree.

By, March 2022 it was reported that the district leadership and school board at the time "cleared five findings (from the 2021 audit) and no repeats, great work," Audrey Jaramillo of the Jaramillo Accounting Group said via email. "The District’s leadership and its finance group (K12 Accounting) have greatly improved controls and accounting operations over the past three years."

"I'm very proud of how far this district has come(since) the audit a few years ago when we had 17 findings... and we had only two minor findings (this time," Alamogordo Public Schools Superintendent Kenneth Moore said. "The auditor Audrey (Jaramillo) said this is one of the best school districts audits she's ever seen."

The most recent improvements show a level of commitment to fiscal controls by the district leadership taking the issues of 2019 serious and putting a plan of action into place. The results of the most recent audit with information released on Tuesday evening, showing those polices and controls by the past administration, and previous school board made a vast improvement in staff accountability to policies and controls around fiscal accountability.

This report disproves accusations made by group that called for the overthrow of the prior administration and board members for mismanagement and questions around finances of the school district.

What the audit proves is Colleen Tagle, Pamela Renteria under the ousted board were indeed managing funds in accordance with good fiscal governance and compliance with state and federal laws, unlike the accusations that were tossed at them.

The Jaramillo Accounting Group has worked with APS since the findings of 2019 to improve controls and ensure state and federal compliance and best practices and audited and reported to the state and the public the results of those audits ever since. The report released at the most recent school board meeting said, "prior year findings, current year findings NONE, we believe management has applied significant accounting policies appropriately and consistent of the prior year, no corrected misstatements and no uncorrected misstatements were found."

Thus, the APS received a clean bill of health via the most recent audit.

In other board dialog a number of contributions to the "Tiger Closet" were recognized...

Charitable Donations
1) Albertsons – Snacks, Appetizers, and Bottled Water valued at $500 – AHS FFA
2) Anonymous Donor – Boy’s Clothes valued at $100 - APS Health Services Tiger
Care Center
3) Anonymous Donor – $100 – Alamogordo City Science Fair
4) Anonymous Donor – Tuxedos, Ties, Shirts and Dress Shoes valued at $100 – APS
Health Services Tiger Care Center
5) Anonymous Donor – Dress valued at $50 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
6) Anonymous Donor – Clothing valued at $1000 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
7) Anonymous Donor – Backpack valued at $30 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
8) Anonymous Donor – Children’s Clothing valued at $100 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
9) Anonymous Donor – Clothing and Personal Care Items valued at $20 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
10) Anonymous Donor – Laundry Detergent and Feminine Products valued at $50 –
APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
11) Anonymous Donor – Men’s Shirts valued at $40 –APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
12) Anonymous Donor – Clothing valued at $200 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
13) Debbie Phillips – Clothes valued at $100 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
14) Elks – $100 – Alamogordo City Science Fair
15) Grace Methodist Church – $250 – AHS AFJROTC
16) Lowe’s Signature Market – Snacks, Appetizers, and Bottled Water valued at $500 – AHS FFA
17) Michelle Gill – Clothing, Shoes, Jackets, Prom Dresses valued at $200 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
18) Mildred Toon – Blue Jeans and Blouses valued at $50 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center
19) Nicholas Aragon – Books and Posters valued at $417.28 – APS Elementary Schools
20) Real Alamogordo – Real Estate Company – Non-Perishable Food Items valued at $1000 – APS Health Services Tiger Care Center and McKinney Vento Homeless Youth
TOTAL $4,907.28

Also, a celebration of Recognition: AHS Business Professionals of America Student Lead Organization was conducted and dialog around...
1. Consider approval of the Alamogordo Public Schools Financial Audit for FY 23 –
ACTION
2. Consider approval of Resolution No 2023-2024-08, Resolution in Support of the
Superintendent Involvement in the NM School Superintendent Association Legal Defense Fund - ACTION
3. Consider approval of Out of State Travel for AHS Business Professionals of America <(BPA) to travel to Chicago, IL, May 10-14, 2024, for the National Conference & Competition - ACTION
4. Consider approval of Out of State Travel for AHS HOSA to travel to Houston, TX, June 26-29, 2024, for the HOSA Future Health Professionals International Leadership Conference & Competition - ACTION
5. Consider approval of Out of State Travel for AHS FCCLA to travel to Seattle, WA,
June 27-July 3, 2024, for the FCCLA National Leadership Conference - ACTION
6. Consider approval for Sunday Use of CMS Gym and MVMS Gym - ACTION