Another Veteran Quits Broward Schools
BY BUDDY NEVINS
One of the auditors responsible for making sure that the Broward school system spends money properly and safeguards its assets has quit.
Mark Magli, an auditor with the Office of the Chief Auditor, is leaving on August 21.
Magli is just one more veteran employee who has left since Superintendent Robert Runcie was hired by the School Board as a “change agent” in 2011. The departing employees have been replaced with folks Runcie hired, some of them from Chicago where he once worked.
The Office of the Chief Auditor is responsible for scrutinizing spending and practices at the school system. Looking over the shoulder of administrators and criticizing them makes the Office of the Chief Auditor highly unpopular with some in the Broward Schools.
“Mark had the endurance of a saint. He did the property inventories and most of the time had to walk the dolts through the process because they never bothered to learn how. And didn’t want to. And the Board and Sup’t. routinely ignored his findings…” one source familiar with the school system e-mailed Browardbeat.com.
The Audit Committee consists of Broward residents appointed by the School Board to hear and make recommendations concerning money and assets.
Magli will be joining the Broward Office of Inspector General, according to a source.
Below is his resignation letter e-mailed this week to members of the Audit Committee. The committee is a group of Broward residents appointed by the School Board to hear and make recommendations concerning spending and assets.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
After nearly 16 years, my official last day with the District will be on August 21st.
I want to express my sincere appreciation for your continued commitment and dedication to Broward County Public Schools, our community and in particular the Office of the Chief Auditor. For quite some time, we have partnered in a quest to responsibly encourage the most efficient use of the District’s resources on behalf of the taxpayers of this county. Without your faith and support over the past few years as members of the Audit Committee, our improvements would not have been possible.
The District continues to be faced with a myriad of challenges while it prepares for so many advancements, purchases and improvements. It is the voice of the taxpayer that is clearly heard through your continued involvement and guidance. I have faith that you will continue to guide the administration to even greater success and fiscal responsibility.
Once again, thank you for your devotion and hard work. Best wishes!
Sincerely,
Mark Magli
Operational-Property Audit Division
Office of the Chief Auditor
(754) 321-2411 Office
August 11th, 2015 at 2:47 pm
I think w/ this latest news the school bd. better examine the “books”. PS. those that are coming to me about our shitty water(really)concerns I am waiting to get the latest results this afternoon. Speaking of shit(e-coli) I think we need to do a better job getting crucial information out to the resident. Also I am not out to make any of you jobs more difficult, however one thing I am not is some red headed step child, nor will I be treated as one(proven)….
August 11th, 2015 at 11:37 pm
The city of Fort Lauderdale should be congradulated on its timely daily updates on the water ecoli issue. They were so good they
Notified property owners on both our land n cellphones. A shout out to City Manager Lee Feldman n his quick acting staff from all the taxpaying residents
August 12th, 2015 at 1:46 pm
Thanks, Buddy, for bringing this important information forward. Magli will be sorely missed. Unfortunately, he is not the only person who has left in the past year. Brian Kingsley, who acted as Chief Academic Officer, left to go to North Carolina. Dr. Blackburn to Brevard, yes it is a promotion, but still a high level administrator left. Gracie Diaz left again this year. Kathy Francis, ESE Director, took a job as a principal in another place. Chief Academic Officer was filled for a short time by Jose Dotres and several qualified candidates were over looked like Marie Wright, Director of Instruction, and Gina Eyerman, who had been the state academic director for our area. This position was vacant for months. The Chief Academics Officer was finally filled by Dan Gohl, who is from Texas, and the board had to pay him at the top of the salary schedule. Jerry Graziose retired as fire chief. It took pushing from the school board and the fire chiefs’ association for Runcie to change the organizational chart to put the position back in. Oh, then let’s talk about Chief of Human Resources. For a short time the position was filled by Amanda Bailey, but she left and there was talk she was not qualified for the position. Now, the position has been vacant longer than it has been filled. Next week the board is approving a new job description. Does that mean Runcie has someone in the pipe line and needed to redo the job description in order to get the person he wants? Who knows the person may be from Chicago? During one of the last board meetings the procurement department was chewed out because they cannot find qualified personnel to fill their jobs. Positions in procurement and facilities are needed immediately to keep the promises Runcie made during the bond campaign. It is kind of daunting to see such turmoil in the high level positions.
August 12th, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Kind of reminds me of my reluctant resignation in 1996, when the superintendent had a minion draft up a plan to “get me” and I just couldn’t serve anymore. The strength of the Broward Schools has always been long term employees with a work ethic, a sense of organizational ethics and a need to serve the students- no matter what their title. What has happened? Has the top subsumed the classroom wisdom? Have the minions of the Superintendent now been placed organizationally to serve his needs- not the educators needs. When the IG resigns it is time to look at the organization, GEt the new IG involved!!!!Sometyhing is wrong!@!!!
August 14th, 2015 at 9:33 pm
I finally left the District as well, and for some many reason. I had plenty of years until retirement, but honestly, enough was enough….
I was really hoping to see a write up on the newest article about the Obama and Red Shoe charter schools. I love how the districts want to blame ALL charter schools, even when the district fails to do it’s due diligence. There was plenty of warning what was happening, but again, everyone’s head was in the sand…. So typical…. Buddy, you really need to dig into that one, and you shouldn’t have to dig too deep….
August 14th, 2015 at 9:42 pm
The Best thing to happen to Broward County Schools since the Grand Jury Report has been Katherine Francis leaving.
August 15th, 2015 at 5:43 pm
@ # 6
The best thing to happen to Broward County Schools will be when Runcie is gone. Runcie,Till and Petruzzello, among others, have been recruited from outside of Broward County to run the school system. None of the outsiders have done an efficient job focused on quality education. It is time to have an honest, knowledgeable, politically neutral person from inside the Broward County system as superintendent. Yes, there are people who fit the description.
No more searches outside of Broward. Search within to replace Runcie.
August 18th, 2015 at 9:19 pm
I’m on the inside and I can tell you how happy I am to FINALLY see Magli gone. His staff hates him, he has done a very poor job over the years with very little oversight. He has been able to do WHATEVER he wants for years and has one of the biggest egos on the SBBC. Hopefully this needed change will bring better procedures and much needed change.He was a BULLY out of control with the power of his position and finally Broward County principals united and had enough with his antics and treats and found a way to get him OUT. His departure is a gain to the district. Well done
August 28th, 2015 at 10:22 am
Aug 12,2015 One of the auditors responsible for making sure that the Broward school system spends money properly and safeguards its assets has quit.