School CFO Claims No Fraud Despite $84k Stolen From Doctors Inlet Elementary

Board Members Skipper and Hansen Face an Uphill Battle in Calls for Auditing

The Clay County School Board recently held a workshop to discuss the district’s 2024-2025 budget. The budget is on track to eclipse a half-billion dollars. For several years, taxpayers have called for greater transparency into where the money is spent.

Echoing that sentiment, board members Erin Skipper and Michele Hanson have been vocally pushing for more robust internal auditing of the school district’s spending and operations.

In the budget workshop, Dr. Suan Legutko appeared to take offense to calls for additional oversight. She claimed there is no need for auditing as no fraud is happening in Clay County Schools.

Unfortunately, Leguko’s claim is false. Earlier this year, Tammy Jo Saucier, Drs Inlet Elementary’s bookkeeper, was accused of stealing more than $80,000 from the school during her employment. Saucier also ended up shooting at Sheriff’s Office Deputies and is facing 2nd-degree attempted murder charges.

Screenshot of court documents from the case against Tammy Saucier.

Legutko is the school district’s assistant superintendent for business affairs. Legutko works with the superintendent and county staff each year to compile a budget and present it to the School Board for approval.

Legutko is essentially the school district's chief financial officer. In the video above, she first asserts that there is no fraud and that the district has policies to prevent fraud. She later states that it is easy for “someone to walk away with cash” in the schools.

Legutko became so emotional that she raised her voice and spoke over board members. The outburst was odd, given that none of the board members had personally accused Legutko of any misdeeds.

The calls for auditing stem from the lack of transparency in the school district's budget and operations under David Broskie and previous Superintendent Addison Davis.

The school district's attitude has been, “We are the experts, and you are not.” Legutko makes this statement regarding the type of auditors being called for in this meeting. This reinforces the district's reputation for having an entrenched culture that minimizes dissent or criticism.

While Skipper and Hanson continue to push for more transparency via auditing, they will face an uphill battle.

The next meeting regarding the budget is scheduled for Thursday, September 12, at 5 p.m.