Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The law firm representing Southampton County’s Board of Supervisors in its effort to learn more about Southampton County Public Schools’ management and finances sent a letter Nov. 12 to the school division’s counsel requesting cooperation.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Dr. Alan W. Edwards said that as of Tuesday morning, Dec. 3, the board had not been notified of a response to the letter.

The board voted unanimously Nov. 6 to approve and ratify the engagement of the law firm of Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP to represent the board for the purpose of conducting a review and inquiry concerning the management and administration of SCPS.

On Aug. 27, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to pursue a forensic audit of the school division and requested the Southampton County School Board’s cooperation in this effort.

School Board Counsel Pamela O’Berry, of Sands Anderson PC, stated in a Sept. 19 letter to County Administrator Brian S. Thrower that “a forensic audit is an examination of financial records to derive evidence to prosecute a party for fraud, embezzlement or other financial crimes.”

In that same letter, she indicated that there exists no legal authority for supervisors’ desired forensic audit of the school division.

Edwards said in an Oct. 21 interview that the Board of Supervisors was still going to obtain the equivalent of a forensic audit of SCPS, and he said on Nov. 18 that the Board of Supervisors’ engagement with a law firm was a result of the school division’s lack of cooperation with pursuing the audit.

Stephen C. Piepgrass, of Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP, wrote the Nov. 12 letter addressed to O’Berry, and included in it was the following:

“Our firm, Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, LLP, has been retained by the Southampton County Board of Supervisors to conduct an investigation into the management and administrative practices within the Southampton County Public School Division. The review will focus on the financial activities, budgeting, and overall management of the school division, in response to public concerns raised by the community regarding the division’s operation.

“As part of this investigation, we respectfully request your full cooperation in facilitating our review. Specifically, we ask for access to documents and financial records related to grants, budgeting, and management practices within the school division. Additionally, we request access to school employees and members of the school board, as their insights may be crucial to our review.

“While we fully intend to conduct a comprehensive investigation regardless of your level of cooperation, we strongly believe that this process will be more effective and successful with your assistance. Our goal is to provide a thorough report to the community addressing the concerns raised and ensuring transparency in the review of the school division’s operations.

“We appreciate your timely attention to this matter and look forward to working together to ensure the investigation is completed efficiently and with the utmost integrity. Please contact us at your earliest convenience to discuss the next steps in this process.”

When asked on Dec. 3 if Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP had received a response, Edwards said, “As of right now, I don’t know. I don’t think they have. We have not been notified that they have.”

He also said he is not aware of any further steps having been taken yet.

“We will get a report on that at the next board meeting,” he said.

The Board of Supervisors will next meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 17.

Edwards affirmed that the report would come in closed session, but he added, “We’ll come out (of closed session) and probably talk about most of it out there.”

He said that if any voting by the board takes place, it must ultimately happen in open session.