Lynn Tech audit separate from O’Hagan move

LYNN – Sources have confirmed that an independent financial audit is being performed at Lynn Vocational and Technical Institute, but the look into the school’s many shop and grant accounts is unrelated to the recent transfer of Assistant Director Joseph O’Hagan.In published reports this week, unidentified sources alleged that O’Hagan’s transfer to Lynn English High School with less than three weeks left in the school year was a result of issues with grant money that he allegedly mismanaged – a rumor that Superintendent Catherine Latham strongly denied in a Daily Item story last week.According to multiple sources inside LVTI and the School Department, consultants have been hired to take a preliminary look at the school’s accounts, which range from grant money to individual shop supply accounts, but O’Hagan’s transfer is completely unrelated and not a result of missing funds.In addition, School Department officials say any consultants who are in LVTI are also taking a look at the accounts at other schools along with Business Administrator Kevin McHugh, who has been almost exclusively dealing with putting together a budget since he took the job last year.According to sources, the audits are simply preliminary at this time but could lead to a closer look into finances if something out of the ordinary surfaces.The timing of the audits has led many both in the school and throughout the department to assume that they were related to O’Hagan’s transfer, and the abrupt nature of the move has only fueled the rumors.Latham met with O’Hagan at LVTI June 5 where she informed him of the decision to move him to English, something that LEHS Principal Andrew Fila and several others said was to provide additional help at his growing school.O’Hagan left the building with Latham and headed straight to English immediately after he was told of the move and work was done on his computer, according to school department officials, to transfer his information to LEHS.Latham, whose policy is not to comment on personnel moves, has said only that she moves people from school to school all of the time, and it was her decision to send O’Hagan to English.Sources have suggested that if not financially-related, the move may be the result of a personality or philosophical conflict with other employees at the school or within the administration.School officials have not confirmed those allegations, but some employees have pointed out that O’Hagan is very popular with students and many of the school staff, and LVTI Director James Ridley told the Item last week that he expected to welcome O’Hagan back soon.Neither Ridley or Latham offered a time table for his return.