Auburn School Committee Advances FY27 Budget, Confronts Student Account Audit Failures

AUBURN — January 7, 2026 — Auburn School Committee confronts years-long student activity account accounting breakdown tied to a $21,170.65 audit variance. At its January 7 meeting, the committee heard Superintendent Dr. Robert Chamberlain and Business Manager Jennifer Stanic detail how individual club spreadsheets at Auburn High School and Auburn Middle School failed to reconcile with bank balances going back to at least 2019, with a separate $236,540.88 gap between the town treasurer's bank account and the town's general ledger cleared only on January 31, 2025. Chamberlain said no money was missing or misappropriated, attributing discrepancies to formula errors, duplicate entries, and unexecuted town-side transfers. The committee voted unanimously to forward the FY27 budget to the town, appointed members Samantha Raef and Stephanie Parker to a new policy review subcommittee, and adjourned into executive session for non-union personnel negotiations. Two residents, including Eric Richards of precinct 4, pressed publicly for accountability timelines and consequences.