Holmes and Caution-Parker have ragged on Lashonda McFadden, as usual.
Lashonda incurred personal expenses of some $425 for the September 7-10 conference and has reimbursed the District for them.
The reporter didn't mention Teresa Holmes' over-spending of almost $3,000 as of 5/10/2022. Has Holmes paid that back?
The following email has been sent to reporter Bristow Marchant.
Regarding today's story on TheState.com
If you would like to do a real story on Richland 2, rather than a bash job on Mrs. McFadden, write about former board chair Teresa Holmes and her irresponsible use of taxpayer money. Each School Year (ending June 30th) a trustee is allowed $7,000 for travel and training.
As of 5/10/2022 Teresa's spending total for travel and training was at $9,729.27, and she may have spent more by going to Myrtle Beach in June.
The District paid $587.30 for her April 2022 car rental in San Diego at the National School Boards Assn. conference. Plus $220 for four nights' of valet parking. Want the receipts?
She put out some defensive "smoke-and-mirrors" at a previous board meeting about "sharing" the car with other board members. She didn't. Of the five who attended that conference, at least two of them didn't know about it. A third may not have known about it.
The hotel was four miles from the airport. The conference center was 0.2 miles from the hotel. The car would have remained parked during the three days of the conference. It was a personal-use rental. It never should have appeared on her reimbursement request. She should have paid the Overnight Valet Parking $220 bill by personal credit card as she checked out.
Instead, the superintendent approved reimbursing her for the car and paying the hotel bill in full.
The District should demand repayment of every penny over $7,000 for 2021-2022 expenses. And they should collect it!
Caution-Parker getting on her high horse about Advances last night was nothing but a continuation of her disrespect for Mrs. McFadden. The District is better off for her departure from the board.
Sincerely,
Gus Philpott
Subscriber
