A contentious election year debate ended Thursday evening with the Cherokee County School Board requesting cost figures on a forensic audit of the district’s financial records.

School trustees voted unanimously to seek information on how much it will cost for a 3- and 5-year investigative audit of the district’s financial records by an accounting firm.

Accountants would be asked to specifically look at instances where district business has been done with individual school board members, school administrators or their relatives, school board chairman Billy Blackwell said. The audit would include a tier for family members of school employees and could be completed by the time a new school superintendent is hired next spring.

The Cherokee County School District released 70 pages of vouchers and invoices in May where school board members, district administrators or their relatives have done private business with the district in the past three years. The information was made available by the district in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

For example, the Cherokee County School District has spent $1.4 million since 2003 on interactive classroom white boards and other electronic devices from Computer Software Innovations. The son-inlaw of former assistant superintendent Andy Jones is a sales representative for the company.

Computer Software Innovations is one of six companies listed as an approved vendor on the state contract list used by the state’s 85 school districts.

Bailey’s Fish Camp, which is operated by board member Barry Bailey, provided $5,415 in food, gift certificates and supplies to the district over the past three years. Bailey said he did not solicit any of his business with the school district.

Ethics commission guidelines require all financial activity be reported on campaign disclosure forms.

School trustee Robin Duncan Harper said she believes an investigative audit by accountants will help restore the community’s confidence in how the school district is being operated.

“I think we need this audit to make sure everything is being done right,” Harper said.

School trustee Donnie Lee Smith said he questions whether the district can afford a detailed audit at a time when all businesses and local governments are struggling with financial problems.

“This is a waste of taxpayer money. We don’t know what the audit is going to cost. We might spend $30,000 and not find anything,” Smith said. “This is over spilled milk because no one on this board will let bygones be bygones.”