Strapped for cash?

First, in my “Letter to the Editor,” published February 21, 2020, as related to her “Letter to the Editor,” pertaining to her transportation (buses) intervention, Superintendent Arbulu responded that she has not ever had to intervene with transportation because of Somerset’s neglect.
Part 4: continued from “Watching the Finances,” published February 21, 2020. We are awaiting the final audit report. As related, two state auditors, during their audit exit conference February 10, 2020, allegedly reported to the “…strapped for cash,” school board they have “close to one million dollars with five percent unassigned.” What? Where? Jefferson? Unassigned? How? Budgeter Arbulu has publicly stated, “We’re strapped for cash, we don’t have students, a future, and any plan for growth.”
Now we learn the elected school board has close to one million dollars with thousands discovered as “unassigned.” Hypothetically, $800,000 is “close to one million,” and five percent equals $40,000 “unassigned.” What? Why? How? I could not image having $250 “unassigned,” in any budget, state or otherwise, I have ever dealt with. Mandated reserves are even “assigned.”
“Unassigned” dollars are not earmarked? Rare. Waiting to be “invoiced,” or “collected by someone?” By whoever for whatever to anyone for anything? Loose change, unaccounted cash sitting? Use the “unassigned funds,” to re-insure our properties. This would eliminate vast liability for Jefferson County and its taxpayers. Or convey, sell and not worry. Use the windfall for our students.
In contrast to Arbulu, Washington asserted, when defending leasing forty acres for pennies on the dollar, to a private for profit citizen, “It’s only ever about the dollar,” rebuking Arbulu and her other board members, “asking what the JCSB [Jefferson County School Board], would do with more money?” Saunders added “…we’re not running a whole lot…for us to need three or four million dollars.”
Boland did reply. “Fix the auditorium.” Washington then implied NO, stating “why don’t a group of the citizens that [are] concerned about that [auditorium] go to the Department of Education as a committee for Jefferson County… and get money to fix the auditorium if they are concerned?”
Because that is why we have an elected school board, Washington. That is your elected job. Besides, FDOE gives the board money for maintenance in addition to the $4.1 million taxpayer dollars we give the school board per year. That’s the process Washington. You are the school board.
Is Washington so far removed that she is unaware Florida has laws governing school boards? This is Washington’s statutorily, mandated - elected responsibility, as prescribed throughout Chapter 1013, Fla., Stat., Educational Facilities. Maintenance of each building is the board’s responsibility too. No regard for Florida law or their SREF Manual (state rule), and they continue ignoring their Madison County attorney, Jefferson County tax dollars are paying, regarding conveying and selling their surplus property we own.
Part 5, publish date scheduled for March 20, 2020, will include the “FISH Report,” prepared specifically for the school board, and some board members remarked they still do not know where some of the deeded school board property, which we own, is located. A must read…