Wallkill Valley High School cleared by state

HAMBURG — After almost a year’s worth of allegations of improprieties in legal fees and personnel practices at Wallkill Valley Regional High School, the state Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance has found no violations.

At the Wallkill Valley Board of Education meeting on Sept. 23, Board President Guy McHugh read a letter, dated Sept. 12, from the director of the Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance, which cleared the district.

The citizen’s group, also known as Concerned Taxpayers from Wallkill Valley Regional High School for a Better Education, had contacted the Commissioner of the Department of Education with claims encompassing legal billing, superintendent bonuses, actions against the board attorney, possible violations of the Open Public Meetings Act and Open Public Record Act, budgetary actions, and procedural and transparency issues.

After the allegations were received by the commissioner, an investigator from the Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance reviewed board minutes, payments, payroll records and contracts, purchase orders, and interviewed Wallkill employees. The review found no findings of noncompliance of New Jersey educational statute and administrative code, and, therefore, the case was closed.

In the report, there were eight allegations against the school and no findings of fault.

In the complaints, the citizen’s group challenged now-retired Superintendent Edward Bolcar’s yearly bonuses for three school years, stating that he had not reached the criteria necessary for the award. However, bonuses for Bolcar were approved by the Executive County Superintendent. Another complaint stated that there was an increase in per pupil cost since the board had hired a new board attorney, but was found to be an error in coding and fees that inflated legal fees. Issues against Bolcar’s representation by the board attorney left the citizen’s group upset, but the report concluded that the superintendent has the right to contact the board attorney for legal assistance as the need arises. A violation of Sunshine Laws, transparency of the board of education, inability to ask questions at board meetings, and incorrect board minutes rounded out the list of allegations.

The review concluded that there were no apparent OPMA or OPRA violations and that the board acted appropriately in all matters. Since no violations had been found, the file for this matter, which seemed to have taken the citizen’s group more than a year of research, has been closed.

“I’m glad there were no findings and I thank the board for doing their job the way they are supposed to do it,” Interim Superintendent Robert Walker said.

The examination report was submitted by Charles Peffall, manager of the Internal Audit Unit, approved by Robert J. Cicchino, director of the Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance, and was investigated by Janet McNerney.