(UPDATE: 2:42) – The IRS has thrown its hat in with several other government agencies looking into the St. Joseph School District
The district said Monday it has received a letter from the Department of the Treasury letting the district know the IRS plans to examine federal tax returns for the 2013 calendar year. The examination of documents will take place July 21 to 24, 2015 at the district office located at 925 Felix Street.
“We intend to fully comply and answer each of the items addressed in the IRS request,” said Brad Haggard, Board of Education President.
The request includes documents for: 1. Completed Authorization and Declaration form. 2. Organizational Chart for calendar year 2013 including identification of principal executives. 3. Minutes of the meetings of the School Board for calendar year 2013. 4. Audited financial statements covering calendar year 2013. 5. Independent auditor letters to management and internal auditor reports to management relating to calendar year 2013. 6. Chart of Accounts including a description of each account in use during calendar year 2013. 7. Copies of all employment contracts including, but not limited to, individual executive officer contracts and union contracts in effect during calendar year 2013. 8. Copies of all termination agreements.
As we previously reported, The FBI and a U.S. Grand Jury are also investigating the district.
The United State District Court for the Western District of Missouri has subpoenaed several records requests over the past year from the district. The most recent in March. The FBI has also been looking into the district’s activities. In March federal investigators served a subpoena on former Superintendent Dr. Fred Czerwonka and former SJSD Acting Superintendent Dr. Jake Long’s former employer, the West Plains Missouri R-7 School District for personnel records relating to an FBI investigation into the St. Joseph School District.
The IRS request to examine documents for the 2013 calendar year comes about four months after a scathing State Audit report found that a staggering $25 million in stipends were paid over the last eight years that were “either unapproved, unauthorized or improper.” The total is estimated to be in excess of $40 million dating back to 2001. $3.8 million in stipends were paid in 2013-2014.