Foodservice director resigns amid allegations of lax financial controls

A week prior to the first day of school, Union Springs Central School District Superintendent Jarett Powers said the district has addressed "weaknesses" in its food service program's financial controls.

Powers released a statement Tuesday that said the school district discovered "weaknesses with controls over cash collections, employee purchasing of meals, and non-prepaid transactions."

Powers said he could not speak to the actions or status of "specific individuals," citing pending personnel matters, nor could he indicate a monetary amount lost during the "significant" period of time the problems occurred.

The district's board of education accepted the resignation of Director of Food Service Robert Lockwood at its Aug. 24 meeting, Powers confirmed Tuesday.

"I'm not casting aspersions, but he tendered his resignation," Powers said.

Lockwood, a 19-year employee, when reached by telephone Tuesday declined to comment.

In the statement, Powers wrote the school district "understands that the fiscal health [of] our food service program plays an important role in the supporting the education, health, and welfare of our school community. A key responsibility of the school superintendent’s office is to ensure that our district is managed effectively and to provide accountability to the taxpayers for the money they provide the school system to support school district operations. My office, in conjunction with the business office, is responsible to the community, as well as the federal, state, and county governments to ensure that all cafeteria food purchases are appropriately accounted for."