ST. CLAIR COUNTY — The Board of Education unanimously approved at a called meeting Monday night to accept a recommendation by a grand jury to further investigate finances at Ashville High School.The recommendation came last month after the grand jury indicted a former Ashville High School bookkeeper on three counts of second degree forgery and one count of first degree theft of property.
Amy Beard Murphree, 36, of Steele is accused of embezzling more than $60,000 in school funds.
A state audit spurred a criminal investigation into missing funds at the school. Murphree’s arrest was based on a 20-month criminal probe by the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, from Oct. 1, 2003, to May 31, 2005, St. Clair County District Attorney Richard Minor said.
The grand jury recommended that an audit be conducted to include the entire period Murphree was employed as the bookkeeper for Ashville High School, which was since 1998.
Murphree was placed on administrative leave, effective July 12, and was terminated at a Sept. 8 board meeting.
"Be it resolved that the St. Clair County Board of Education accepts the recommendation of the grand jury of St. Clair County, Alabama, concerning an audit of the Ashville High School for additional years…" the resolution approved by the board states.
"Be it further resolved that the attorney for the St. Clair County Board of Education be and he hereby is directed and authorized to proceed with contracting on behalf of the board with the Alabama Department of Public Examiners or a private entity so as to complete said audit or audits…"
The resolution was passed after the board spent about an hour in executive session.
Board attorney Bill Trussell said the reason for the executive session was to "discuss pending civil and criminal litigation involving a former school employee."
Although Trussell would not comment on either the civil or criminal aspects of the Murphree case, the Pell City attorney said he would contact the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts within the next 10 days to see if auditors would perform the audit approved by the board.
Trussell said if the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts can not do the audit for some reason, he will seek a private accounting firm to perform the work.
"Be it further resolved that the attorney for the St. Clair County Board of Education be and he hereby is directed to conduct an investigation to determine whether or not any improper or inappropriate conduct occurred during the employment of Amy Murphree by the said employee or any other employee of the school system and report the results of said investigation to the board," the resolution states.
Drew Goolsby, chairman of the board, would not comment about the recently completed special audit that was conducted by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts or the resolution passed by the board Monday night. The audit of Ashville High School has still not been made public but is expected to be released by the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts within the next two weeks, board members say.
However, Goolsby and other members of the board said they met in groups of three or less with state auditors Monday for an exit review of the audit.
State auditors were at the central office Monday night.
Larry McPherson, audit manager for the Alabama Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, said he was uncertain how long it would take to complete an audit like the one approved by the board Monday night.
"It’s hard to put a timeline on it sometimes," McPherson said.
Sandra Touart, custodian of funds for the school system, said Monday the school system should recoup any stolen, lost or missing funds. She said the school system is insured by its bonding company for up to $250,000 a year.
