VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Board of Education spent more than $3,500 to investigate the school superintendent’s use of the county fueling station.

Public records obtained by The Valdosta Daily Times show the board paid Attorney Al Turner, Jr. a total of $3,832.50.

The board of education launched a third party investigation in January after allegations against Superintendent Shawn Haralson surfaced, hiring Turner to assist with investigating the superintendent pumping gasoline into his personal vehicle and an auxiliary tank at the school system’s fueling station.

In March, The Valdosta Daily Times reported that Haralson filled up his pickup truck and an auxiliary tank in the bed of the truck at the fuel depot on multiple occasions.

After the investigation, Haralson agreed to pay $2,800 to cover the cost of the gasoline. The school board took no disciplinary action.

The agreement between Haralson and the BOE indicated that the investigator and the board did not believe the superintendent intentionally took gas he was not entitled to.

Rather, they characterized the circumstances as a misunderstanding and a matter of poor record keeping.

Haralson and Ronnie Weeks, board of education chairman, did not respond to several requests from The Valdosta Daily Times for an interview or even a prepared statement.

The superintendent’s gas usage came to light after The Valdosta Daily Times received several tips and the newspaper filed numerous open records requests.

Following the investigation by Turner, the board of education met in a closed-door executive session, then agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding allowing Haralson to repay $2,800 for the gas he had taken.

After the VDT published a story disclosing the investigation and repayment agreement, the school board released an unsigned statement on March 21, backing the superintendent and the board’s final decision.

This is a developing story that will be updated.