Gazette: New oversight is mandated for school finances

Budgets, health care costs get added scrutiny in Montgomery

by Andrew ujifusa, Staff Writer

Montgomery County's inspector general has new authority to see how Montgomery County Public Schools spends and does not spend its money.

In a June 15 memorandum, Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring outlined County Inspector General Edward L. Blansitt III's new oversight role concerning the school system's budget. The move comes within weeks of allegations by council members that the Board of Education hid a $14.5 million employee health care surplus during budget discussions for fiscal 2012 that saw the council attempt to force school employees to pay more for health insurance...