PAISD board budget practices questionable

Ashley Sanders
The Port Arthur News

PORT ARTHUR May 11, 2006 07:54 pm

— It’s a fee greater than most teachers’ salaries for an entire year. And while it is included in the district’s general fund, the money does not go directly toward the education of students.
This $44,421 in the Port Arthur ISD 2005-2006 budget is specifically set aside for board travel. That figure allows each trustee around $6,345 each for travel expenses this year alone.
“The board travel budget that was approved for this school year was for $44,421,” Larry Redmond, PAISD CFO, confirmed via telephone Thursday afternoon.
That is $30,421 more than neighboring school district Port Neches-Groves ISD budgeted for their trustees’ travel for the same year.
“Our board has $14,000 set aside for travel,” Bonnie Jennings, executive assistant to the PN-G superintendent, said. “They have only spent a little more than $2,000 this year because a trip scheduled earlier in the year was canceled due to Hurricane Rita.”
Jennings said the board will travel to the Texas Association of School Board’s Conference in San Antonio in June.
According to PAISD’s board policy BBG (Local), “the board travel budget established as part of the budget planning process shall be divided equally among members of the board.”
“Board members may offer to share with other Board members their share of members’ yearly travel budget per their approval,” the policy bulletin continues.
PAISD Board President Julia Samuels April 6, 2006, trip to Chicago already used up $4,131.44 of her allotted share of $6,345 for the 2005-2006 school year.
According to KFDM Channel 6 reporter Bill Leger’s report titled “The Traveling Trustee,” during a six month period last year, Samuels spent more than $8,863 on board travel arrangements.
Although last year’s budget would again only have allotted her an equal right to $6,345, Samuels’ expenses were greater than Trustees Donna Worthington, Gregory Flores, Willie Mae Elmore and Lonnie Linden’s combined.
Samuels could not be reached for comment to explain whether or not other trustees were “sharing” their travel funds with her last year because she is still in Detroit, Mich. at a PAISD sponsored Head Start Convention.
Board policy, however, states that any “expenses exceeding an individual Trustee’s share of the yearly travel budget shall be borne by the Trustee individually.”
In short, if Samuels was not given permission to use more than her allotted funds, she could owe the district more than $2,500 for exceeding last year’s expenses.
BBG (Local) policy also provides for the “reimbursement of all travel expenditures, including airfare, registration fees, mileage reimbursement, car rental, hotel charges, parking charges, meal reimbursement and airport parking.”
No where in the policy does the district agree to pay for tips and gratuities.
Samuels, however, billed the district for $119 worth of tips during her 2006 Chicago trip.
The Board president submitted the numerous listings of tips on personal stationary and included no copy of receipts or proof that she even paid bell men and valets.
“For all travel taken, Trustees shall file a travel statement with receipts accounting for travel amounts actually expended,” Board policy BBG (Local) explained.
Finally, Board policy BBG (Local) requires that all trustees submit their reimbursement requests to the superintendent no later than seven days after the trip.
Samuels Chicago trip expense report was not received in Redmond’s office until April, 24, 2006, according to Redmond’s official receiving stamp on the documents.
The board president’s Chicago trip concluded on April 12, 2006, however, Samuels did not submit her reimbursement request for another 12 days.
Redmond said although the district did not have designated responsibilities for monitoring board travel in the past, that he and Interim Superintendent Jim Weeks were working on a new plan to ensure better board practices.
“Under our old administration, the superintendent handled all of the expense reports,” Redmond said. “Dr. Weeks and I have arranged for all travel reimbursement requests to come through my office first from now on. It is now my responsibility.”
All Port Arthur ISD board policies can be found on the district’s Web-site, www.paisd.org.
Although representatives from Nederland and Beaumont ISD’s were contacted for information pertaining to their district’s board travel budget, no information was released to The News as of press time.
Contact this reporter at asanders@panews.com or (409) 721-2427.