State Representative Believes BA Audit May Prompt Criminal Investigation

By Chris Wright, The News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The State Auditor's Office has spent the past year looking into Broken Arrow Public Schools. The office could release its findings soon, and one lawmaker believes the audit may prompt a criminal investigation.

This saga dates back to 2007, when the Broken Arrow school board fired Superintendent Jim Sisney. Sisney later sued, claiming he was let go after questioning the district's dealings with heating and air contractor Air Assurance. He said the company was paid for work school officials didn't want, and the district's agreement with Air Assurance violated competitive-bidding laws.

The scandal attracted the attention of State Representative Mike Reynolds.

5/4/2009 Related story: Rep. Reynolds: BA School District Broke State Law

"I received some specific allegations with regard to this some time ago, and have been trying to get to the bottom of that ever since," Reynolds said.

The Broken Arrow Board of Education voted in favor of the audit last year. The State Auditor's Office says a draft of that audit is now finished, and will be sent to the Attorney General's Office for review. Officials can't say when it will be made available to the public.

"I want them to have our findings as quickly as possible, but I have to conform with the laws set forth by the state of Oklahoma," Steve Burrage, Oklahoma State Auditor, said.

But Representative Reynolds believes there's only one reason the Attorney General's office is analyzing the audit.

"My understanding of the statutes is the only reason it's turned over to the Attorney General's office is the possibility of crimes being committed," he said.

Broken Arrow disagrees. In a statement, the district said, 'It is indeed unfortunate that representative Reynolds, who does not even represent this area, has attempted to wrongfully intrude himself into a process which is by law placed into the hands of the state auditor.'

Even after two-and-a-half years, it's a process that could be far from over.

Once the Attorney General's office is finished with its review, the State Auditor's office says Broken Arrow public schools will have two weeks to review the audit before its made public.