Saugus School Committee searching for findings from year-old middle school audit

SAUGUS – During its first meeting of the year, School Committee members realized that it?s been more than a year since the middle school?s student activities budget was audited, and yet the committee has received no update.Following an audit of the high school?s student activity account that found questionable stipends paid to former principal, now Belmonte Middle School vice principal, Joe Diorio, Town Manager Scott Crabtree requested an audit of the middle school account, too.But committee Chairman Wendy Reed said Thursday the committee had yet to receive the findings from auditors Powers and Sullivan. Saugus Public Schools Finance Director Pola Andrews said she, too, had not yet received the findings.Committee member Arthur Grabowski suggested the committee send a letter to Crabtree requesting that “he send it to us as soon as he gets it.”Reed suggested “a different approach first” and said the committee should request Superintendent Michael Tempesta to ask Crabtree about it during their next meeting. “We need an update as to why it?s taking so long,” said Reed. “We?ve hit the one-year mark.”