Gazette: Montgomery mandates new oversight for schools

School board president says county failed to do its homework in finances investigations
by Andrew Ujifusa And Erin Cunningham, Staff Writers

The Montgomery County Council has launched two investigations into how Montgomery’s school system spends its money.
The nine-member council unanimously voted Tuesday to direct its Office of Legislative Oversight to examine a school system fund from which employees’ health care expenses are paid. Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring, who proposed the inquiry, said she expects to receive preliminary information in September.
Also, the county’s inspector general, who acts as a government watchdog, already has begun an inquiry into the school system's budget.
“We do not believe it’s been transparent,” Ervin said of the school system’s budget.
About a week after the council approved its $4.4 billion fiscal 2012 budget May 26, including a $1.37 billion allocation for Montgomery County Public Schools, the school system reported it had a $14.5 million surplus in the fund. Ervin said that revelation was disturbing...