LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — After months of scrutiny, the Fayette County Board of Education has received the results of an external investigation into the handling of the district’s budget shortfall.
FCPS ‘whistleblower’ claims ‘retaliatory’ suspension after warning district of budget crisis
The budget battle came to light in May when the district proposed a tax hike to close a $16 million gap in the budget. According to a letter obtained by FOX 56, Ann Sampson Grimes, the executive director of budget and financial planning, claimed she told district leaders numerous times from February 2024 to August 2025 that budget cuts were needed.
Grimes’s attorney, Brandon Voelker, claimed in the document that she was “flat out ignored” by district leaders when she made budget suggestions.
“The Fayette County Board of Education and the parties have received the report from Leigh Latherow of VanAntwerp Attorneys, LLP, and will carefully review her findings. This investigation was authorized by the Board at its Sept. 16, 2025, special meeting,” Fayette County Board Chair, Tyler Murphy, wrote. “By releasing this Board report, we are upholding our ongoing commitment to transparency and open communication with our community.”
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In a letter to the district investigators wrote that “sufficient evidence was presented to substantiate a finding that the superintendent failed to comply with requirements” by not appropriately informing the board of the district’s financial situation…