Lehighton Area School District’s quest to find a firm to conduct a forensic audit of its finances is set to begin.

Business Administrator Patricia Denicola told the district’s finance committee on Monday that advertisements will start this week.

“It will be advertised in the newspaper and we’ll also send it to a list of potential forensic auditors who have an understanding of the public school system,” she said.

Lehighton’s board unanimously ordered the audit in June following a motion by director David Bradley.

Bradley cited Jim Thorpe Area School District, Penn Hills, Scranton and several other districts as examples of why he pushed for a forensic audit in Lehighton.

“These are all situations where the board failed to oversee subordinate employees,” Bradley said at the time. “Things get kicked down the road. That’s been happening here for at least 10 years. It doesn’t make it right.”

Denicola said she welcomed a forensic audit but did not recommend using the district’s existing auditor.

“I believe a new set of eyes sees things a little more clearly,” she said.

After the advertisement, firms will likely have at least another month to respond.

Jim Thorpe School District recently underwent a “forensic review” by Brown Schultz Sheridan and Fritz. The review was supposed to determine whether there were any improprieties with respect to expenditures on district credit cards used by business manager Lauren Kovac and former Superintendent Brian Gasper.

The report is finished, but the school board is determining whether or not it will be made public.