Former USD 475 employee David Wild has issued a statement following publication of a recent article by The Shield, about money he received for the 2023-2024 school year while serving as a construction grants program manager and part-time liaison with Fort Riley for USD 475.
At the request of JC Post Wild has issued a statement to clarify the situation.
Wild wrote. "The Intergovernmental Support Agreement between Fort Riley and USD 475 is meeting with success beyond original expectations. The IGSA, a vision of congress in its annual National Defense Authorization Act, allows Fort Riley to accomplish mission support through USD475 contractors. The program uses more efficient State of Kansas rather than Federal Procurement protocols and statutes.
To continue supporting program expansion, the USD475 Board of Education bought out my employment contract and allowed it to expire. The Sentinel piece does not accurately reflect the buyout. Regardless, I am thankful for the financial consideration made by the Board towards my efforts to successfully pilot, stand up, and grow the program. This strategic move by the Board enables the district to facilitate IGSA program growth beyond my individual capacity as a district employee. Growth of the program is a benefit to the Army, USD475, and all of us as taxpayers. Fort Riley and USD475 are leading the way with Army G4 advising other Installations to replicate the initiative.
From my hiring by the district in 2017 through the end of my district employment, I am thankful to have served the community, and constituents of USD 475." "
This past weekend Superintendent of Schools Dr. Reginald Eggleston issued a statement on a USD 475 social media site.
"Dr. Reginald Eggleston, Geary County Schools USD 475 Superintendent of Schools, breaks down how USD 475’s contract with IGSA works. Geary County Schools USD 475 entered into an Intergovernmental Support Agreement (IGSA) in 2021 with U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Fort Riley for design-build, capital improvement, repair, and maintenance projects on post. In 2022, USD 475 signed a 10-year agreement to continue these services. The Secretary of the Army is authorized to enter an IGSA on a sole-source basis with state or local governmental units, and USD 475 is one of several entities involved in such agreements.
Under this IGSA, USD 475 earns 8 percent of all contracts through Fort Riley. Of this 8 percent, 1 percent was allocated to Mr. David Wild as our employee responsible for managing the agreement. Both the district and Fort Riley agreed that Mr. Wild’s background and experience with contracting made him a viable candidate for this work. This compensation came from the IGSA funds and was not paid from the school district’s federal, state, or local budget. The contract is currently overseen by GOVlink, which ensures proper management and execution of the projects. The IGSA funds are designated exclusively for federal projects on post at Fort Riley and are not used for school district projects.
The 7 percent of funds retained by the district are strategically invested to support school projects, ongoing maintenance, and other capital outlay needs within USD 475.It is important to emphasize that none of the IGSA funds come from local tax dollars. This partnership allows us to support Fort Riley's federal projects while also benefiting our district, our students, and our community.
USD 475 remains committed to transparency and responsible financial management as we continue to serve our community and support the education of our students. #ThriveIn475