The Sargent Shriver Elementary School Parent Teacher Association received money from an account controlled by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), which is a violation of policy, and is refusing to cooperate with an investigation or return the funds according to a report.
However, Montgomery County Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi wrote in the report released Thursday, she could not substantiate an allegation that the funds were mismanaged or even that the funds were spent at the school in Silver Spring.
If the funds were spent, they were not used for their intended purpose of updating the staff lounge, which has not been refurbished.
The $5,000 grant was received by MCPS by Community Partners on behalf of Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools Initiative and was transferred from an MCPS account to the PTA, which is an independent party. The grant was awarded in May of 2019.
Former PTA members asked the school administration to transfer the funds to them, which is in violation of MCPS policy. According to the OIG report, several other schools received the same grant and did update their staff lounges.
Currently, all Sargeant Shriver PTA money is locked in an account held by Free State PTA, which will not release the funds without a request from the school’s PTA. The PTA has not cooperated or agreed to release the funds, according to the OIG report.
Therefore, OIG recommended that MCPS take action to recover the money and then either use the funds on the staff lounge or return the money to Kaiser Permanente.
In October of 2023, OIG received a complaint concerning alleged mismanagement by the PTA management. That group had lost its non-profit status and has not updated or reapproved its bylaws since 2013, nor filed taxes since 218, according to the complaint. The complaint also noted there was minimal paperwork concerning funds.
The OIG report was given to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for consideration of improper financial management by the PTA.
