The Fayette County Board of Education voted on Monday to hire national accounting firm Weaver and Tidwell for a "comprehensive external operational and financial review," Board Chair Tyler Murphy said in a release.The review wil l "provide a deep-dive assessment of our internal budget and financial controls, processes, and departmental operations" beyond the extent of a standard audit.According to Murphy, the move was recommended by the district's independent Audit Committee, one the board sees as necessary to strengthen the trust of the public.The scope of work, bids and proposals were reviewed by the committee prior to making a recommendation, and no district staff or board members participated in the process, the release said.The firm's review will follow the scope developed by the Audit Committee and will supplement the state audit currently underway. The contract also allows for a forensic audit if areas of concern are identified."Our community has demanded accountability and action," Murphy said. "On Sept. 8 and 16, our school board voted unanimously to heed calls for an independent investigation, with one already underway. The Dec. 8 vote keeps that promise to commission a thorough, fact-based review that identifies specific, actionable improvements to strengthen our financial systems, uncover any potential wrongdoing, and protect the critical investments that are driving the success of our students and staff." ...read more read less