Kentucky Auditor Probes Spending By State Ed. Dept.

By David J. Hoff

Kentucky's state auditor is undertaking an investigation into how the department of education spends state and federal money in the wake of the recent indictment of a former top agency official on charges of embezzling more than half a million dollars.

Edward B. Hatchett Jr., Kentucky's auditor of public accounts, said his probe would focus on the eight cooperatives that help districts purchase supplies and provide professional development at discounts made possible by buying in larger groups. Meanwhile, Kevin M. Noland, the state's interim education commissioner, has announced that his department will hire an independent auditor to review the books of the department and the eight cooperatives.

Randy Kimbrough, a former deputy commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education, is charged with stealing state and federal money intended for an eastern Kentucky cooperative. Ms. Kimbrough is alleged to have billed the cooperative for work done by bogus consultants and then deposited the money into...