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VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Colleges superintendent has agreed to pay the college district again $2,800 for gasoline he took from the district’s bus fueling station.
The Valdosta Each day Instances acquired video footage, via opens information requests, of Superintendent Dr. Shawn Haralson filling up his pickup truck and an auxiliary tank within the mattress of the truck on the fueling station on a number of events.
Public information obtained by The Instances present Haralson pumped at the very least $2,800 of gasoline between July 13, 2022 and Jan. 8, 2023.
Along with the hundreds of {dollars} of gasoline Haralson took from the fueling station, further open information requests obtained by The Valdosta Each day Instances present he had a routine apply of submitting gasoline receipts from quite a few gasoline stations on his expense report throughout the identical timeframe.
The Lowndes County Board of Training launched a 3rd occasion investigation in January after the allegations surfaced, hiring counsel to help with the probe.
After receiving the findings from the investigator, the college board authorised a compensation plan for $2,800.
The memorandum mentioned, “Exterior counsel didn’t discover credible info supporting the intentional use of system gasoline for private use by the Superintendent.
“Nonetheless, to make sure transparency and utmost equity to the taxpayers of the LCSD, the Superintendent has supplied to reimburse the LSCD for undocumented gasoline use by the Superintendent within the quantity of $2,800.00 and the LCSD has agreed to simply accept the quantity acknowledged as applicable reimbursement.”
The Valdosta Each day Instances has filed quite a few open information request that have been initially delayed, with college officers saying the requested paperwork have been a part of an open investigation and wouldn’t be launched till the investigation had been accomplished.
Along with acquiring video of Haralson filling up his pickup truck and an auxiliary tank on separate events, the newspaper has obtained copies of further bills and receipts from the superintendent that are being reviewed.
Each Haralson and college board Chairman Ronnie Weeks have been contacted however didn’t reply to a Valdosta Each day Instances’ request for an interview.
In an unrelated case, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation on March 8 launched a press release that Peach County Hearth Chief/EMA Director Jeff Doles was arrested and charged with six counts of monetary transaction card fraud and 6 counts of theft by taking (fiduciary theft). In that unrelated case, on Dec. 5, 2022, the Peach County Sheriff’s Workplace requested the GBI examine allegations that Doles used a county gasoline card for private purchases. That case file has been given to the Bibb Judicial Circuit District Lawyer’s Workplace for prosecution. In that case, Doles is accused of fraudulent cost of about $229. His bond was set at $10,000.
Haralson didn’t admit to wrongdoing within the Lowndes college system incidents however nonetheless mentioned he would pay the $2,800 again.
Haralson was employed in Could 2022, with a starting date of July 1, 2022.
Group outcry, urging the board of training to not rent Haralson on the time, went unheeded, even after questions have been raised about his efficiency at his earlier employment.
In accordance with the employment contract, additionally obtained as a part of quite a few open information requests, Haralson is paid an annual wage of $200,000 plus an annual 3% value of dwelling enhance. Along with the $1,000 month-to-month transportation stipend for sustaining a automobile appropriate to conduct the duties of the superintendent.
A Valdosta Each day Instances evaluation of Haralson’s worker personnel file, additionally obtained via an open information request, turned up no reprimands, punitive motion or damaging feedback.
It is a growing story that shall be up to date.
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