Don't miss the May 12th article on www.blythewoodonline. org about school board over-spending of its travel allowance. You will want to read it more than once or print it and underline key information and statements.
In addition to reporting over-spending by Monica Scott and Teresa Holmes, Reporter Debra McCown estimated that James Manning will be about $2,000 over his allowance.
Absolutely, the District's Accounts Payable Department never should have over-paid even one board member. It's not a clerk's fault; someone (at least two of them) approved the overage. A clerk would have said, "Hey, this person doesn't have any money left in her (his) allowance."
EACH person who over-spent must repay the District. While it might be nice for a board member who has money left to help out another board member by transferring some of her unspent funds, why should she?
This paragraph in the article ought to stir up readers: "Also, at one point, she (Monica Scott) says, Davis (the superintendent) abruptly canceled board members’ registration to a conference in a knee- jerk reaction to a comment made by someone associated with the event – and later re-registered them, but at twice the cost because early booking discounts no longer applied."
What gives the superintendent any right to cancel a board member's reservation? Who does he think he is? That immature reaction ought to result in payment of excess costs by the superintendent!
And this paragraph in the story? "Davis, in a recent school board meeting, said he assumed board members were tracking their own expenditures – and that’s why the administration continued to approve travel that exceeded the budgeted amounts."
Just because his "assumption" was incorrect is no reason whatsoever for the Accounts Payable Department to overpay a board member! Aren't there any accounting controls in place?
As for Holmes, the newspaper's story continues: "Holmes did not respond to an email Monday seeking comment. Her statement at the April 26 meeting, however, sought to blame her overspending on the pandemic.
"Obviously we have just come out of Covid, and every travel that we have taken, those people that have traveled, has been extra expensive for Covid,” Holmes said, “so there are a lot of people who did not keep up with the budget.”
Huh? Is that a statement by a person with a doctorate? With 35 (or is it more) years in the field of education? That's one of the dumbest statements I've seen from her.
The public should demand proof that those board members who over-spent have repaid the excess.
How will the superintendent's lack of management and over-sight here affect his Annual Evaluation?
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