New DCSS Superintendent No Stranger to Investigations

Dr David Mosely and the Board of Education in Glynn County were the subject of multiple grand jury investigations

The final investigation concluded in March of 2001 with no finding of criminal conduct, but maintained that “severe mismanagement” occurred according to District Attorney Stephen Kelley.

This investigation was mandated after the Glynn County Georgia School System went approx $10 Million over budget during school construction projects. The district was left deeply in debt. The investigation found that members of the Board of Education were “reckless if not negligent” during the years of 1995-1999.

The members of the school board maintained during the investigation that then Superintendent David Mosely misled them about construction costs and ‘related financial matters’.

Dr Mosely retired from his position in June of 1999 after just five years as Superintendent of the school system. In December of 1999, Dr Mosely told the school board that “he accepted responsibility for the deficit but that it wasn’t entirely his fault.” He also denied withholding information.

The school board had given Dr Mosely special permission in 1996 to approve the bids for new school and renovation projects, but many of the board members during that time maintained during this investigation that Dr Mosely did not provide them with the proper information.

Board member Walter McNeely, who has served on the panel for six years, said every time the board asked Mosely for updates about the projects he told them construction was within budget and on time.

“Maybe we should have taken a more active role in checking whether the budget was really all right. We just took it for granted that what he told us was true,” McNeely said.

While none of these Grand Jury investigations turned up any criminal wrongdoing on the part of Dr Mosely, it certainly seems that Millions of dollars were played with very loosely. Why did Dr Mosely, after being given so much authority, continue to tell the school board that all the projects were on schedule and on budget while he seemingly drove the school system into a huge debt?

During Dr Mosely’s watch as Superintendant of Glynn County Schools, the systems cash reserves were totally depleted and when he retired in 1999, the system was $5 Million dollars in debt. During his watch, projects were allowed to go well over budget, wiping out not just the construction fund that had been allocated for projects, but also the general fund of the school system. During this time, Dr Mosely reported to the board that projects were ‘on time’ and ‘on budget’

Again, after multiple investigations, no criminal charges were filed but in Dec of 1999, Dr Mosely accepted full responsibility for running the system into a huge financial hole.

With the crisis that DCCS currently faces, could we not have done better for our city, our children, our taxpayers?

Please comment on and share this. People deserve to know!

Sources:

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/120799/met_1450908.html

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/031301/met_5630315.html

http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/061605/geo_19009567.shtml

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/douglas-ga/TSP8PI3LH5GNAAOEP