FCPS superintendent said board member made ‘ridiculous accusations’ about budget

In September 2024, as the Fayette County Public Schools board was preparing to approve the fiscal year 2025 budget, emails show Superintendent Demetrus Liggins told a school board member there was no basis for her “grave concerns” about the district’s finances.

He also told Amanda Ferguson, one of five board members to whom he reports, she was making “ridiculous accusations” and “playing games.”

Ferguson shared emails with the Herald-Leader Thursday night after hearing from community members that board members should have raised concerns about FCPS finances before the district had a $16 million budget shortfall and a dwindling emergency or contingency fund balance.

It’s the latest salvo of accusations, high-level concerns and outright conflict between Liggins and Ferguson at a time when the district is navigating rocky financial waters amid growing concerns and calls for greater transparency from parents and taxpayers.

They also reflect that in-depth questions about the district’s finances and how money was being spent by Liggins’ administration were being flagged about a year before this summer’s barrage of bad budgetary headlines.

Ferguson said she became concerned in late 2023 that too many district central office positions had been created using one-time federal funds earmarked for the Covid-19 pandemic recovery.

She was alarmed dollars from the ESSER program were being transferred to be paid out of the district’s budget general fund. The federal government gave school districts money to recover from COVID, but districts were warned not to use them for recurring costs.

“I continue to believe that much of the district’s overspending is a result of salaries and programs originally funded by ESSER that transitioned to general fund expenses,” Ferguson told the Herald-Leader Thursday night.

On Sept. 17, 2024, Ferguson asked Liggins to present the fiscal year 2025 working budget in a way that numbers could be compared more easily.

Specifically, she wanted an apples-to-apples column added that would show the difference between fiscal year 2024’s actual revenue and expenditures vs. fiscal year 2025’s working budget revenue and expenditures.

Two days later, Liggins responded, in part, “After discussing with our finance and budget team, we agreed that the best comparison is between the FY24 actuals and the FY24 working budget since they both pertain to the same fiscal year.”

“Comparing FY24 actuals with FY25 working figures will be misleading and doesn’t align with standard accounting practices,” Liggins told Ferguson.

“The purpose of that document is to share as much information as possible with the public and the board to ensure enough clarify to support the board’s governance role, but not too much into the weeds where is becomes confusing, convoluted and potentially in the Superintendent’s management role.”

That sparked an angry response from Ferguson on Sept. 20, 2024:

“I don’t really care if it’s standard accounting practice or not, and you can continue to play games if you so choose, but I want to see a column with FY24 actual figures and FY25 working figures. There are no ‘weeds’ when it comes to my oversight of the budget as a board member and (state law) is pretty clear on that.

“I have grave concerns about this budget and the current financial situation of the Fayette County Public Schools and the historical context matters. When the contingency for the FY24 working budget was $44,273,456 and the fund balance in the FY25 working budget is only $42 million, there are serious red flags,” she said.

That same day, Liggins asked her what documents she wanted.. “If you would simply answer the questions I ask instead of making ridiculous accusations of playing games, we could work on fulfilling your request.”

In a follow-up email, LIggins expressed concern and disappointment that Ferguson shared “grave concerns” about that budget and suggested there are “red flags” about it.

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“While there is no real basis for such serious concerns, it is still quite unfortunate that you would raise these issues now, at the last minute (on a Friday before a Monday board meeting, when there has been ample time and opportunity to ask questions of me and my team,” Liggins said.

Months before, on April 30, 2024, as the district was preparing the tentative fiscal year 2025 budget for a May 20 board vote, Liggins gave school board members budget materials and an online link where they could submit feedback.

All feedback, questions and answers would be given to all members, LIggins said. Board members could also arrange a virtual or in-person meeting with him and his staff.

Ferguson replied: “I know you have little respect for my opinion but, for the record, I do not support the conduct of board business by submitting questions in secret to some obscure digital platform. I believe all budget documents should be available for public viewing.”

“Also, I would like to see a listing of all positions at the district level that were ever paid for with ESSER (COVID Recovery) funds, which ones will be discontinued, and how those not discontinued will be funded going forward,” she said.

Liggins said that would take extensive work, but Ferguson asked again. Liggins said he would provide the information.

He said the process of submitting questions was a way to address questions more effectively.

Ferguson voted against the fiscal year 2024 and 2025 budgets because of her concerns.

District officials on Friday did not immediately comment on the email exchanges.

This story was originally published September 5, 2025 at 6:26 PM.