Dear Chairman Head:
Congratulations on your election as Chairman of the Board! We look forward to working with you as you carry out your important duties as Chairman. We know that you will provide excellent leadership.
I wanted to bring you up to date on what happened at the meeting of the Wake County Taxpayers Association meeting last Thursday evening. There was an overflow crowd for the meeting. Ron Margiotta and Carol Parker were present and each shared with the group regarding current issues. Also present were a number of other community leaders including, Joe Bryan, Chairman of the Wake Commissioners, and Tony Gurley, County Commissioner. They also shared with the group concerning current issues related to the schools.
As you are aware from our letter of June 17, 2005 our Board has called for, among other things, a thorough external fraud investigation audit of the Wake Schools financial records of the past five years. The Wake County Taxpayers Association feels very strongly that such an audit must be done to restore confidence in the schools system operations, and the group Thursday evening, unanimously and very pointedly, demanded that it be done immediately.
Both Chairman Joe Bryan and Commissioner Tony Gurley indicated they supported doing so quickly. They both expressed the desire that the call for the audit come from the School Board but indicated that should that not happen the Commissioners have no alternative but to call for the audit. Mr. Gurley said the School Board should be allowed the opportunity to pass a motion at its next Meeting on July 12 calling for the audit and if it did not then the Commissioners will call for the audit. Our group agreed with the Commissioners that it would be best for the School Board be given the chance to request the audit first. Commissioner Jeffreys was not able to attend Thursday.s meeting but since has expressed his strong feelings such requested audit must be initiated soon.
It is our desire to see full confidence restored in the Schools system. We are of the unanimous decision that it can be done only with a very comprehensive external audit by a disinterested audit group appointed by the Board of Commissioners.
Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby has responded to our July 17 letter. In that letter he indicates that the investigation into the fraud against the Wake County Schools is being actively pursued and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has now joined in the investigation. The District Attorney states in his letter: "In the 18 years I have been a prosecutor in Wake County I have never seen this magnitude of fraud involving public dollars."
You have adequate reason and support for action by the School Board to move rapidly to call for the audit and show good intent toward restoring the confidence of the taxpayers in the System. With a bond referendum needed soon, it would certainly be in the best interest of the Board to indicate it's support for this move to clear up all/any misgivings on behalf of Wake County citizens and taxpayers.
We know you will want to do the right thing and we will be there to support you as you take action to call for the audit.
J. Russell Capps, President