School District in 'Sound Financial Condition,' Audit Shows

The Riverhead Central School District is in good financial shape, according to findings from an external audit that was presented at the board's meeting on Tuesday night.

Vincent Cullen of the accounting firm Cullen & Danowski LLP spoke before the board on the audit. Cullen said the district was in "sound financial condition" after examining the district's general, extra-classroom and federal funds.

Cullen also said the district had a good "internal control system" for implementing recommendations and assisting the auditors, who were hired by the district to do the audit as required by law. He also noted that district employees gave him their full co-operation, and praised the district for their openness.

Cullen ended by saying that his report was an overview of the full audit. Another member of their firm, Jill Sanders, would give a detailed report. The school board accepted the findings unanimously.

The board also approved the first two contracts for the . The bond will be .

The contracts are a $90,200 contract with L.K. McLean Associates for land surveying services and a $48,805 agreement with Soil Mechanics Drilling Corporation for soil boring, according to the agenda. Both companies were selected during the mandatory RFP process. The money for these contracts will be taken from the general fund and later reimbursed using bond money, since the project hasn't been bonded yet, said school board president Ann Cotten-Degrasse.

The board also honored long-time school physician Dr. Rogelio Lao, who had worked at the district for the past 41 years.  He was replaced by Dr. Bellamy Brook of First Choice Medical in Riverhead this year.