Demand Issued Exceeding $100,000 to Former Benoit School District Employees

June 27, 2008

JACKSON- Stacey Pickering announced today that four former Benoit School District employees have been demanded to pay $109,681.89 as a result of misuse of grant funds.

Dr. Suzanne Hawley, former superintendent; Barbara Peeples, former business manager; Ephen Melton, former maintenance manager; and Dr. Sherry Shepard, former assistant superintendent received unapproved and unauthorized salaries through three grants awarded to Benoit School District over three school years, July 2003 through June 2006.

The funds received by the four individuals exceeded their respective contracts and were paid without the knowledge and approval of the School District and the Mississippi Department of Education.

“School districts receive considerable federal and state grant money each year to carry out programs and to assist in administrative costs of such programs,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “The job of the Auditor’s Office is vital to ensuring that funds distributed to individual school districts are used properly and fully accounted for. This investigation signifies my commitment to recovering any misused or embezzled funds and returning those to the local school district.”

Dr. Suzanne Hawley, former school superintendent, received a total of $11,500 in unapproved salary. Barbara Peeples, former business manager, received $11,500 in unapproved salary. Ephen Melton, former maintenance manager, received $23,788.74 in unapproved salary. Dr. Sherry Shepard, former assistant superintendent, received $34,947.12 in unapproved salary. An additional $27,946.03 is included in the demand for interest and investigative expenses.

Hawley, Peeples, Melton and Shepard have 30 days to remit payment to the State Auditor’s Office for the use and benefit of the Benoit School District in Bolivar County.

###