Audit firm requests Fayette County Public Schools approve up to $35,000 in additional costs for independent review

Fayette County Public Schools is being asked to amend its contract with the firm conducting an independent audit of the district, according to a LEX18 report published June 22. The audit contractor has requested approval for additional costs of up to $35,000, the report said, which would increase the amount the district is authorized to pay under the existing agreement.

LEX18 reported that the request seeks board approval to cover expenses that were not included in the original contract terms. The move would require the district to formally authorize the added funds so the auditor can continue its work under an updated cost authorization.

The independent audit is expected to review district operations and related matters, but the LEX18 report focused specifically on the contracting and cost side of the process. Details on what portion of the audit work would be covered by the added amount were not fully described in the report, and the district’s response was not presented in the summary.

School officials and the board are typically required to take formal action when contracts are amended, particularly when additional spending could affect public budgets and how the work is documented. If Fayette County Public Schools approves the amendment, it would clear the way for the auditor to charge expenses within the newly approved ceiling rather than under the original, more limited authorization.

If the board declines or delays the amendment, the auditor could face limits on how expenses are billed, potentially affecting timelines and administrative handling of the audit work. Under contract amendment processes, boards generally consider whether added costs are justified by changes in scope, unforeseen requirements, or administrative adjustments identified after the contract was signed.