Twiggs County schools revamp financial oversight amid leadership complaint

Twiggs County Public Schools is revamping its financial management structure as it navigates leadership changes and financial distress.

In a Facebook post Wednesday, the district said it was transitioning away from a traditional chief financial officer model to a streamlined structure that “maintains strong oversight while reducing executive overhead” and will “strengthen oversight, improve accountability and reduce administrative costs.”

Officials said the new system increases the superintendent’s oversight and reinforces the Twiggs County Board of Education’s governance review of financial operations.

“As interim superintendent, I remain committed to ensuring every financial decision is guided by transparency, accountability and what is best for our students,” TCPS interim superintendent Tyrone Bacon said in the online post.

Bacon previously said the district had experienced years of financial mismanagement, citing gaps in oversight tools. An independent report found the school system was overspending by $1.1 million annually while behind on insurance, tax and vendor payments.

The revised structure strengthens internal controls, separates financial responsibilities and improves transparency. Based on finalized cost projections, the district anticipates saving more than $100,000 annually compared with the previous model, officials said in the post.

New finance team roles

The district also outlined several personnel changes in its Facebook post.

Miriam Rearden has been promoted to assistant superintendent and will provide administrative oversight of the finance department while continuing her role as executive director of federal programs.

The district has not updated its website to reflect if Rearden has replaced Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations James Austin, but the recent Facebook post from the district lists her in that role.

District Finance Officer Mindy Floyd’s role was reclassified as accounting and compliance manager, according to the post. Floyd will oversee accounts payable and receivable, employee benefits, state reporting and regulatory documentation.

Lisa Nichols, who was the district’s payroll associate, is now the budget and financial systems manager. Nichols will manage payroll, budget development, state and federal drawdowns, grants accounting and serve as the district’s lead for the financial system.

The district said it will contract with a certified public accountant to handle professional financial reporting, audit preparation, cash flow monitoring and compliance review within that advisory role.

What’s in the complaint

The restructuring comes amid a dispute between Bacon and Austin, who filed an official complaint against Bacon related to financial oversight.

Officials have not said if the staffing changes are directly related to the complaint, which board members discussed at a called meeting on Feb. 17.

Bacon created a hostile work environment and undermined core financial controls at a Jan. 14 finance meeting, including directing changes to user access in the district’s finance system that violated internal control standards and posed audit risks, Austin alleged.

Neither Bacon nor Austin responded to The Telegraph’s requests for comment .

An audio recording of the Feb. 17 called board meeting detailed both leaders’ accounts. The Telegraph obtained an audio file of the meeting through an open records request.

The complaint centered on Bacon’s directive to grant the district’s technology director access to the finance system. Austin said he rejected the request because such access for a non-finance role could lead to risks.

Austin said he consulted state officials, who warned that full administrative access for an IT position would raise control concerns.

Austin said Bacon told him he “did not care what the state guidance was” and repeated the request.

After offering alternative proposals to address cash-flow issues, Austin said Bacon told him the board did not trust information from the internal finance team and preferred an outside party.

“You’re not on my team. This is all your fault. We’re in this mess because of you. You should feel bad I’m having to riff employees because of your mess. I do not trust you,” Austin recalled Bacon allegedly telling him.

Bacon said he would remove Austin from the financial system, then grant himself and the technology director access, Austin claimed, which would have prevented him from performing his job duties.

Austin said he asked that his complaint be investigated by human resources, citing concerns about retaliation and potential unauthorized modification of financial data.

At the Feb. 17 meeting, Austin said he compiled 150 pages of documentation, including screenshots and emails, dating back to 2021. Documents detailed the district’s finances, and Austin said he alerted board members to the issues — which goes against Bacon’s claim that they were unaware of significant financial strain.

“My commitment has not changed. My goal has always been to stabilize this district and get us over the finish line,” Austin told the board.

In response, Bacon said the district is in a “confirmed state of financial distress” and requires stronger oversight and transparency.

Bacon said he didn’t view his request as inappropriate.

“It is important to clarify that the request to expand the access was not sought for my personal use or direct operational control of the financial platform,” Bacon said. “The purpose of the access was to provide appropriate administrative availability to the district’s technology director so that system level oversight can be maintained independently of daily finance.”

The board said a written decision on the complaint would be issued within 20 days of the hearing .

Board Chairman Thomas Carstarphen has not responded to media inquiries about a decision in the complaint, if the restructuring is related to the complaint and if Austin remains employed with the district.