Mills asks inspector general to investigate former administrators

Rick Mills, Manatee County School District superintendent, formally asked the Florida Inspector General’s Office to investigate the financial activities and behavior of the former school district administration during years of overspending. 

The Florida Inspector General is a state agency with the mission to detect, deter and prevent government fraud, waste and abuse. 

As evidence to the need for a state inspection, Mills wrote a letter to the inspector general's office, dated March 6, that lists various findings related to the school district’s finances:

• The school district has failed to meet the state-mandated minimum fund balance for five consecutive years.

• The new administration, led by Mills, determined the school district overspent its budget by $4.5 million during 2011-12 and by $8.5 million in 2012-13. 

• Audits from the Florida Auditor General’s office of the 2012-13 school year determined the district would have to pay more than $10 million in fines to compensate for past failures. 

Mills’ letter asks the inspector general to specifically inspect the behavior of the since-departed senior leadership team —led by former Superintendent Tim McGonegal and Jim Drake, former assistant superintendent — during the years 2010-12. 

The inspector general still must agree to investigate the district. 

Contact Josh Siegel at [email protected].