By Mark Scott
Buffalo, NY – State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli released a critical audit Wednesday of the Enterprise Charter School in Buffalo.
The audit by the comptroller's office questioned payments made by the school to a former administrator. It also found nearly $85,000 in expenditures that were made without proper approvals or paperwork. The audit was especially critical of money spent on alcoholic beverages for staff parties.
Comptroller DiNapoli chastised school administrators for not accepting an invitation from auditors to discuss the findings. But Enterprise Board Chair Theron Howard responds DiNapoli's auditors refused to participate in an open meeting as required by law.
Howard says the auditors admitted they were proceeding without having previous experience with charter schools and their governance laws. He says the audit contains erroneous information and conclusions and that many of the recommended changes have already been made.
Enterprise was recently awarded a five year extension of its charter by the Buffalo Board of Education.