The Greater Clark County Schools board took final action last week in firing Chief Financial Officer Michael Hodgson.
But he may never know what led to that move or what initiated the paid leave he was put on in February.
Erin Bojorquez, public relations specialist for Greater Clark, said Hodgson was terminated at a school board meeting May 12. She said she could not comment as to the cause because of it being a personnel issue.
Hodgson said he was put on paid leave in early February and told to not come into work.
He continued to receive his income, earning about $32,000 to not work from then until he was let go, according to the amount he earned in 2008, which was $110,550.
He said he asked the corporation to allow him to come back.
“I even expressed that I wanted to come back and would be willing to come back to a different job. Anything other than sitting at home and not knowing what’s going on,” Hodgson said for a previous article, adding that he offered to help with the buses, food service and more. “There was never an explanation. They didn’t do anything.”
The Evening News investigated, requesting access to Hodgson’s e-mails and Internet files in an attempt to find out what happened. Nothing out of the norm was found.
After Hodgson was put on leave, the State Board of Accounts initiated an audit.
“We were requested to come down and do an audit based on a situation that could exist at Greater Clark County Schools,” Paul Joyce, deputy state examiner with the agency, said in a previous interview, adding that the state board comes in any time a CFO is put on leave.
Larry Wilder, attorney for the school board, said he can’t say why Hodgson was put on leave, but said the audit wasn’t requested because of any belief that Hodgson did anything wrong.
“Throughout this matter, the request for the State Board of Accounts to come in and conduct an audit was merely because it seemed to be the best practice when there was potential for change in the CFO office,” Wilder said.
He said the audit was requested to come up with a baseline for where the corporation would go from that point forward.
Wilder said he’s unsure of when the audit will be complete. He said before the results are made public, the state board will notify the school corporation and administer an exit audit. Wilder said neither has been done yet.
Meanwhile, the duties of Hodgson have been covered by others in the corporation’s business office, Bojorquez said. She added that Jim Becker, who served as CFO prior to Hodgson, has been advising the business office when needed.
She said it will be up to the new superintendent, Stephen Daeschner, as to when that position will be filled.
Christina Gilkey, school board member, said the board is considering merging the CFO position with another, such as an assistant superintendent post.
“We’re looking at different options but haven’t decided anything yet,” she said, adding that they need to wait for their new superintendent to take office so that he can give the board his input.
Clark County
Questions linger as CFO leaves Greater Clark
-
-
River Ridge moves forward with development plans
No sale has been finalized on either piece of land, as River Ridge owns the 16-acre parcel, and the adjacent 54-acre tract is owned by Crossdock Development, a Louisville-based company that specializes in developing properties on the order of millions of square feet.
Continued ... - News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 10, 2012
-
Town has no cure for ailing medical center
-
Dancing
-
In the doghouse
-
Forum helps Hispanic parents stay involved with education
Angelica Perez, family services adviser for Head Start, said it is important for children to learn English at a young age. She has seen the Hispanic population in Clark County grow and said there is an increased need for English Second Language programs.
Continued ... -
Indiana granted No Child Left Behind waiver
As the deadline approaches, more schools are failing to meet requirements under the law, with nearly half not doing so last year, according to the Center on Education Policy.
Continued ... -
Democrats downsize: Clark County Democrats want to remove five precinct committee people for supporting candidates outside party
DeArk also said he never received a letter that said he may be removed as a precinct committeeman.
Continued ...
“As a matter of practice, I do not accept certified mail,” he said. -
Paying their fair share?
John Gilkey, president of the town council, said when Knott initially shared the information with him a few weeks ago, he was surprised to learn some residents weren’t paying any taxes.
Continued ... - News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 9, 2012
-
River Ridge moves forward with development plans
