Update: FHUSD has reached out to The Times with additional details, noting "...only one pair of sunglasses were purchased for eye safety for a landscaper working outside. The amount spent was $17.46."

Member Madicyn Reid raised concerns over school finances in the consent agenda during the Fountain Hills Unified School District Governing Board meeting last Wednesday, June 7. After discussions, she abstained from the vote to accept the consent agenda, which passed 4-0.

Reid first thanked FHUSD’s financial team for providing more information about the accounts payable vouchers inside the consent agenda. Nearly a week prior, on Thursday, June 1, members of the Board met with FHUSD’s financial team to discuss ways for the Board to have easier access to itemized statements.

This past week, Board members had additional information in their Board packet. Moving forward, the Board will receive weekly updates to a Google Drive with itemized statements. According to Karen Popowicz, FHUSD’s account specialist, it is the first time any Board member has asked her to provide itemized invoices in detail since 2007.

During the business meeting on June 7, Reid raised concerns about certain expenses. Reid has been combing through pages of financial expenses and brought up one that “maybe shouldn’t have happened.”

“They are very small [expenses] so they’re not necessarily anything to freak out about or cry mismanagement [over],” Reid said. “But they are an indication that someone who has access to spending money is, you know, making maybe personal purchases.”

Superintendent Cain Jagodzinski spoke up and advised caution to Reid before she could make any further accusations. Jagodzinski has phone conversations with every Board member before each meeting, but Reid’s accusation was news to him.

“I have not seen anything; I don’t know what she was referencing,” Jagodzinski said in a follow-up statement to The Times. “It was the first I heard of it from her, so if there was something she had a concern with, I’ll call her today and make sure it’s addressed.”

Jagodzinski called FHUSD’s attorney and Reid for clarification and then reached out to The Times later in the day on Thursday, June 8, with the results. Jagodzinski reported that the discrepancy Reid was referring to was district approved spending on sunglasses for landscaping workers. The exact amount spent is not known.