Grayson County turns over school investigation to state police

GRAYSON COUNTY (WSLS 10) - The Grayson County administrator released a report after the Board of Supervisors hired an auditor to conduct an investigation into what happened when Grayson County Schools faced a nearly $1 million shortfall last year.

The county administrator has turned over his findings to police to see if criminal charges should be brought against the former school superintendent, assistant superintendent and finance director.

"It's good to know that we finally made progress in knowing that there was an issue," said Jerry Perry, who has children in Grayson County Schools.

Perry, like many others, knew something was wrong in 2014 when the school board announced there was a $1 million deficit.

"It's a relief to know that were pursuing something accurate," Perry said.

In the Grayson County administrator's report, it details what happened with the school's money.

It states the board hired a private firm to conduct an audit from 2012-2015 to find out why there was budget shortfall.

"There were a series of findings," Jonathan Sweet, the county administrator said.

The audit uncovered a number of irregularities and one example includes former Grayson County Schools Superintendent Kevin Chalfant sold the school board his own snow plow for $5,000.

In financial statements, also conducted by the same firm, it showed internet services were not monitored, which costs the school system over $500,000, in addition, expenditures for reimbursements were not documented, and that school board did not submit reimbursement requests on a timely basis.

"The interest the board of supervisors has is that the kids are put first and that the finances are being spent as intended," Sweet said.

With a new schools superintendent in place, Kelly Wilmore, he's hoping to move away from the money fiasco.

"We're going to move forward, we're going to be positive we're happy with everything going on in our school division right now," Wilmore said.