Following nearly two weeks of negotiations, Brenda McCowan has resigned and will be paid through March 1.

The Cape Girardeau School Board placed the former director of finance on administrative leave Dec. 5. The move came a day after the board was forced to shift funds to cover a $700,000 error in calculating the district's tax levy.

An audit released in November reported payments of nearly $2.5 million being made but never recorded, the district spending more than was budgeted in two funds, and the district deficit budgeting was in noncompliance during the year ending June 30.

Superintendent Dr. David Scala, responsible for overseeing the district and staff, was removed by the board Nov. 19. A new director of finance was hired, and McCowan was moved to a newly created position as coordinator of federal programs and grants.

At its regular meeting Monday, the board approved hiring the auditing firm Larson Allen to conduct an external audit for the year ending June 30.

While there was no discussion at the meeting, board member Paul Nenninger said afterward that the audit would "help get things in order" and "look at the current problems the other audit pointed out" to determine if further action needs to be taken.

The audit is expected to cost less than $10,000 and take about two weeks to complete. Board members hope the assessment will result in "clear, straightforward recommendations."

Larson Allen was recommended to the district by the Missouri School Board Association, Nenninger said, and the firm has experience auditing districts with financial troubles.

Extra pay, remodels

Also at the meeting, Central High School teacher Dixie Crites talked to board members about the Extra Duty Compensation Committee, which has met four times but spun its wheels in determining criteria for staff to receive extra duty pay.

The 17-member committee plans to present an update in January. The last time the committee revised the document relating to extra duty pay was in 2001, Crites said.

In other news, the board will consider renovating three metal buildings at the junior high for use by the Industrial Arts department and by the maintenance department at a cost of between $151,000 and $197,000.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123