The audit also found that McCurry had not attended any North Merrick Board of Education meetings in the nearly two-year time period it covered, even though a written district policy required the treasurer’s attendance. Lastly, the audit found that the district’s information technology system “controls” need improvement, but it did not go into further detail.

“Because of the sensitivity of this information, the vulnerabilities we found are not discussed in this report but have been communicated confidentially to District officials so they could take corrective action,” the report stated.

Draper and Deputy Superintendent Beth Friedman both said they were pleased that the audit found no fraud or misappropriations involving district monies, as did Superintendent David Feller in a letter to the DiNapoli’s office.

“If you look at the recent school audits [statewide] and you see some of the very serious concerns, we feel that we’ve done pretty well,” Draper said. “… If signatures on checks — it’s something that’s very easily remedied and we’re in the process of fixing right now.”

At its March 18 meeting the North Merrick board adopted a “Corrective Action Plan,” which listed four steps the district would take before June 1 to bring the district into compliance with state law and regulations. These included disallowing Long from signing checks, requiring McCurry to sign checks, designating one board trustee to sign checks if McCurry is absent or incapacitated, and changing district policy to require McCurry’s presence at board meetings upon request.