Nashville, TN – The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released an investigation detailing concerns with the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System’s Child Nutrition Department and the Clarksville Child Nutrition Association.
The Child Nutrition Department is primarily responsible for all cafeteria operations, and the Nutrition Association is a nonprofit school support organization that raises funds by catering events and bake sales to pay travel and food expenses for school employees to attend conferences and trainings.
The investigative report revealed a number of problems some of which include:
- The former Child Nutrition Department’s director had an undisclosed conflict of interest, and steered purchases totaling $73,916.86 to a food and equipment vendor who employed her husband as a sales representative.
- The former and current Nutrition Association treasurers both paid personal expenses with association funds.
- The Nutrition Association used USDA food commodities for its events without reimbursing the School System. This resulted in children not receiving taxpayer funded food donations.
The investigation also noted other deficiencies within the Nutrition Association and the Child Nutrition Department.
The Comptroller’s findings and recommendations have been reviewed with the district attorney general for the Nineteenth Judicial District.
“While these problems are concerning, many of them can be solved through improved oversight and stronger policies and procedures,” said Comptroller Justin P. Wilson. “I am pleased to note School System leaders indicate they are taking steps to improve these weaknesses.”
To view the investigation online, go to: www.comptroller.tn.gov/ia/
If you suspect fraud, waste or abuse of public money in Tennessee, call the Comptroller’s toll-free hotline at 800.232.5454, or file a report online at: www.comptroller.tn.gov/hotline . Follow us on twitter @TNCOT
