Grant payment delay irks Matteson SD 159 officials

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Updated: March 16, 2012 8:18AM

At least two officials in Matteson School District 159 are calling for closer scrutiny of the business office after a paperwork error led to the state withholding $445,000 from the district for more than four months.

Illinois State Board of Education spokeswoman Mary Fergus said the state on Sept. 21 withheld the payment in grant money for the early childhood program because the district did not file its quarterly spending reports due one day earlier.

The district didn’t receive the money until Jan. 27, after the report finally was filed with the state.

District 159 board president Elliott Johnson said he was disappointed the report did not go out on time.

“We need to tighten up our expectations around accountability in the business manager’s office,” Johnson said. “I hoped the superintendent had it under control, and I think we may need to have a hard look at who we have working in our business manager’s office.”

Board member Demetria Brown said the district used its own funds to cover the shortage created by the error.

“We pay people well to get reports done to send them in,” Brown said. “They were not cumbersome reports by any stretch of the imagination.”

Supt. Barbara Mason and business manager Melody Ellington did not immediately respond to multiple messages left Tuesday.