Brockton releases "eye-opening" independent report on school district's $18M budget deficit
BROCKTON - An independent report conducted after Brockton school and city officials discovered a surprise $18 million budget deficit in the school district's 2023 fiscal year has just been made public. The report, conducted by law firm Nystrom, Beckman, and Paris LLP found a culture of "incompetence, territorial boundaries, and woefully inadequate checks and balances," in the school district's budgeting process.
"This report was truly eye-opening," Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan said in a news conference on Tuesday.
Report found little or no oversight of the budget
The report found that Sullivan, as the Chair of the School Committee, and other city leaders including the city's CFO, the CFO of the school District, and the School Committee provided little or no oversight of the budget created by Superintendent Michael Thomas.
"The Brockton School Committee, the entity elected to oversee budgeting, spending, and the welfare of the School Department, was unquestioning and disengaged on financial matters," the report states.
The deficit was caused primarily by overspending on personnel, transportation, and out-of-district tuition, the report found.
It accuses Thomas of ruling with an "iron fist" even though he described himself as "not a number's guy." Thomas remains on administrative leave.
According to the 180-page report, Thomas allegedly hired mentors as independent contractors to circumvent CORI checks. He is also accused of hiring his friend as the transportation director even though he had no experience.
$100,000 offer to former Patriots player
Plus, the report states that Thomas offered to pay former Patriots player Jermaine Wiggins $100,000 to be the Brockton High School football coach by using a grant for youth at risk of gang involvement. Previously, the coach position had been held by teachers who received a $15,000 stipend to coach.
Parents furious at special School Committee meeting
RSM, an audit firm retained by the district, presented their findings to the School Committee on Tuesday night, and residents were furious at what they learned.
"We are your political career, you are supposed to be representing us," said Lori Mason. "You lied to us. You said on February 27 of 2024 that you didn't know anything about this deficit."
"My big question is where was it mismanaged, how was it mismanaged and what can we do in the future to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" said Jamie Hodges.
Mayor Sullivan told reporters that city financial officials will now have more oversight of the school district and other budgetary safeguards have been put in place.
"We need to update policies. We need to review payroll and pay codes. We need to review the collective bargaining agreement," Sullivan said.
The report did not find evidence of criminal conduct.
