WPS Finance Director Bohl Resigns Feb.19 During ‘Investigation’

WARWICK, RI — Warwick Schools Finance Director Brandon Bohl has resigned a week after he was placed on paid administrative leave Feb. 12 as an outside consultant helping him investigated his bookkeeping for the district.

A call to Bohl seeking comment on the matter was not immediately returned.

Bohl on leave since Feb. 12, resigned today

Warwick Schools Superintendent  Lynn Dambruch said she placed Bohl on leave last Wednesday after the accounting consultant working with him, Diane Brennan, discovered “variations” between their accounting in the budget. Though the $9 million FY25 deficit the Warwick School Committee has whittled down to $3.1 million was not affected, the discrepancy was concerning enough to put Bohl on leave Dambruch said.

“That gave us the chance to investigate the finance situation,” Dambruch said, “We needed to opportunity to investigate the reality of the situation.”

She said that an interim finance director, Joseph Crowley, has been appointed, who will work with Brennan to continue the  fiscal review, develop the district’s 5-year fiscal plan with RI Auditor General David Bergantino, and complete the district’s annual audit. Dambruch said the district has also just hired a new fiscal controller, and the district will  begin reorganizing its finance department.

The Warwick School Committee has been working to cut the deficit since early this year, and Dambruch said there’s not much more they can remove from the budget without significantly altering teaching within the district.

“Right now we’ve dug as deep as we can go,” Dambruch said, “Without really impacting student programs and opportunities in teaching and learning, we can’t go much deeper.”

However, Dambruch said, the final accounting of the remaining deficit is in question as Brennan’s review of the budget continues. Using Bohl’s figures, the remaining deficit is higher than $3.1 million, she said.

“I support the decisions recently made by the Superintendent with regards to the management of her administrative team, and recognize her planning for continuity purposes, as we still must continue to navigate the current fiscal situation facing Warwick Public Schools,” said Warwick School Committee Chairman Shaun Galligan.