Focus on TUSD - September 2007

District's Audit Committee Elects Chair at its First Meeting
Sandra L. Parker, a retired internal auditor for IBM, was elected chair of the TUSD Audit Committee at it first meeting on Sept. 20. Other members of the five-member volunteer committee are:

• Clifford B. Altfeld, an attorney in private practice who served on the Catalina Foothills School Board for 12 years;
• Loretto Peto, managing member of Peto & Co., a certified public accounting practice;
• Mark Stegeman, associate professor of economics at the University of Arizona, Eller College of Management; and,
• Lea Marquez Peterson, a Sabino High School graduate, the mother of a TUSD student, and the executive director of Greater Tucson Leadership, an organization that examines challenges in the community and offers solutions for addressing them. Peterson has a master's degree in business administration from Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.

Members of TUSD's Governing Board approved the formation of an independent audit committee in July to help them strengthen the District's financial controls; provide transparency in financial matters; and assist them in meeting their fiduciary responsibilities.

Board Member Alex Rodriguez, who initiated the formation of the committee, said TUSD is the first school district in Arizona to establish an audit committee. "The Audit Committee shouldn't be a soapbox, a witch hunt or a 'Gotcha,'" said Rodriguez to committee members at the meeting. Governing Board President Joel Ireland, Superintendent Roger F. Pfeuffer, and Pat Beatty, executive director of TUSD Financial Services, also attended the meeting. Board members Bruce Burke and Judy Burns observed portions of the meeting but they were not on the agenda.

The committee ultimately will meet quarterly but members agreed to meet every two weeks for the next few months as they learn their responsibilities and become familiar with the District's finances.

In addition to electing a chair at their first meeting, members:

• Received an overview of the state's Open Meeting Law from TUSD Legal Counsel Nancy Woll
• Received an overview of the purpose of an audit committee from Kara Badalamenti, CPA and partner in Heinfeld, Meech & Co., TUSD's independent audit firm.

The committee's next meeting, a study session, will be Thursday, Oct. 4, from 2:30-5 p.m., at the Morrow Education Center, 1010 E. 10th St. Meetings of the Audit Committee are open to public.