Draft:Alan Hutchinson
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Alan Hutchinson (born 1958) served as the treasurer for several public school systems in Ohio, including two of the top-ten largest districts in the state: South-Western City School District in Columbus[1] and Lakota Local School District in Cincinnati.[2]
Education[edit]
Hutchinson graduated from Milligan University (then Milligan College) in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance. In 1998, he earned a master's degree in Education Finance from Ashland University.
Career[edit]
Early Career[edit]
Hutchinson's first position in public school finances was with the Apollo Joint Vocational School District in Lima, Ohio (later renamed the Apollo Career Center District[3][4]). He then served as treasurer at Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools and Whitehall City Schools in Whitehall, Ohio, both suburbs of Columbus.[5]
South-Western City School District (1991-1998)[edit]
Hutchinson was first hired as interim treasurer in fall 1991 before signing a two-year contract in January 1992.[5]
Hutchinson's tenure at South-Western City School District coincided with the growth of the internet, and a significant part of his work there involved modernizing the district's networks. He told the Columbus Dispatch that "getting all the school offices connected by computer and streamlining the process of conducting business across the district" was his most important achievement.[1]
He also helped to guide the district through the challenges of a population boom. For four consecutive years, voters rejected levies that would have funded the construction of new buildings to accommodate the hundreds of new students that were joining the district each year.[6] By the 1998-99 academic year, overcrowding forced administrators to split students in fifth-12th grades into two sessions: one in the morning and early afternoon, and the other in the afternoon and evening. The split sessions proved enormously unpopular, with overall student population decreasing for the first time in years as parents withdrew their children.[7]
In November 1998, voters finally approved a $128 million bond measure to fund construction of the first four of seven planned new schools.[6] Shortly thereafter, Hutchinson left South-Western, having won accolades for excellence in financial reporting.[8]
Lakota Local School District (1998-2007; 2010)[edit]
Like South-Western, Cincinnati's Lakota Local School District was both large and fast-growing. During Hutchinson's years at Lakota, the district opened four new schools and a new Central Office, and it made substantial additions to the two high schools, Lakota East and Lakota West.[9]
For seven of Hutchinson's nine years as treasurer, Lakota earned awards for excellence in financial reporting from the Government Finance Officers' Association, the Ohio Association of School Business Officers, and the Ohio State Auditor.[2]
In 2010, Lakota hired Hutchinson on a part-time basis as interim treasurer after his replacement, Craig Jones, departed.[10]
Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (2007-2018)[edit]
In 2007, Hutchinson returned to Columbus to serve as the treasurer for the Educational Service Center of Franklin County (ESCFC). Funded by local districts, the state, and the federal government, ESCFC provided support services—such as substitute teachers, special education staff and resources, and professional development—to multiple school districts in the county, enabling access to services that otherwise many districts could not afford.[11] In 2009, ESCFC merged with its counterpart in Delaware County to form the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO).[11] Hutchinson continued as treasurer and became Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Superintendent Spending Scandal[edit]
In 2014, state auditors discovered that from 2008-2013 ESCCO superintendent Bart G. Anderson misspent approximately $485,000 on international travel, luxurious hotel stays (including at Manhattan's Waldorf Astoria), and food and alcohol purchases.[12] More damningly, Anderson altered travel receipts totaling approximately $8,100.[13]
As ESCCO's treasurer and CFO, Hutchinson faced scrutiny as well. He had challenged some of Anderson's expenses when he reviewed credit card statements, but Anderson had plausible explanations. In addition, most of the charges—except the alcohol, for which Hutchinson had asked him to reimburse the organization—had been pre-approved by the ESCCO school board.[12]
In 2015, Anderson pled no contest to charges of obstructing official business and dereliction of dutyand was sentenced to fines, court costs, and a year of probation. State auditors also found him liable for $96,000 in unapproved charges.[13]
Retirement[edit]
Hutchinson worked with state auditors in further reviews and continued as treasurer and CFO for another four years. After shepherding ESCCO through policy revisions, audits, and other reforms implemented in response to the misconduct, Hutchinson retired in February 2018.[14]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "School's treasurer leaving". The Columbus Dispatch. 10 November 1998. pp. 07D. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ a b Kiesewetter, Sue (11 September 2007). "Lakota schools treasurer leaving post". The Cincinnati Enquirer. pp. B.5.
- ^ "Home - Apollo Career Center District". Apollo Career Center. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Timeline of Apollo Career Center". Lima News. 25 September 2016. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ a b "South-Western Schools name interim treasurer". The Columbus Dispatch. 24 September 1991. pp. 02B.
- ^ a b Sternberg, Ruth E. (8 November 1998). "South-Western schools plan buildings, eye new levy". The Columbus Dispatch. pp. 4D. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Sternberg, Ruth E. (11 October 1998). "South-Western chief sweetens tax proposal - he'll end split sessions if issue passes". The Columbus Dispatch. pp. 03D. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Dague, Polly (24 April 1998). "South-Western Schools handle money with care". The Columbus Dispatch. pp. 12A.
- ^ "History of Lakota Local Schools - Lakota Local School District". www.lakotaonline.com. Retrieved 2023-12-23.
- ^ Hilty, Lindsey (18 June 2010). "Lakota hires back former treasurer". Hamilton JournalNews. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ a b Preston-Coy, Candace (17 July 2008). "Service center merger receives final approval". ThisWeek Community Newspapers. pp. 04A. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ a b Smith Richards, Jennifer (29 August 2014). "Your schools - Questions on board's oversight emerge". The Columbus Dispatch. pp. 1A. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ a b Smith Richards, Jennifer (11 June 2015). "Former education superintendent sentenced in obstruction case". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Board Policy & Minutes". www.escco.org. 17 January 2018. Retrieved 2023-12-23.