Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - TEA's review of CCISD's travel records starts today

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Monday, September 27, 1999

TEA's review of CCISD's travel records starts today
Audit, to be done Friday, looks at receipts related to expensive meals, purchase of airplane tickets
By Jonathan Osborne
Caller-Times

   Texas Education Agency auditors are in town this week to sort through Corpus Christi Independent School District travel expense accounts at the invitation of Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra.
   "We'll look at all the financial records that relate to the school board members' travel, looking at the various types of things like checks or whatever paperwork the district uses to pay travel expenses: credit cards, hotel statements, receipts for a meal," said TEA spokesman Joey Lozano.
   Agency staff will arrive today and should complete their audit of the school board and superintendent by Friday, Lozano said.
   If the audit shows any intentional misappropriations of funds for private or personal use, Lozano said, the TEA could turn over their findings to the district attorney or the attorney general's office.
   "If there was anything that looked like it was blatant disregard for the use of school district funds, we might refer something like that to the district attorney to ensure that there weren't any state laws that were violated," Lozano said.
   Saavedra has recently been criticized for what some board members say are excessive spending on the district's American Express card, including a more-than-$500 dinner at the Tavern on the Green in New York City and a lunch at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel that cost more than $100.
   Saavedra said the bills do not reflect how many people were at each dinner.
   "They identify meals or dining," Saavedra said. "What they don't know is how many people were there. If there's several people, I don't list every single person."
   In most cases, Lozano said, if the TEA finds instances where trustees or the superintendent didn't adhere to general accounting procedures, they make recommendations for more precise and complete record keeping. If it appears that a board member may owe money, they issue directives for that board member to reimburse the district, he said.
   Saavedra said the audit should resolve any questions of travel account abuse among board members and the superintendent of the school district.
   "I am pleased that they're coming in," Saavedra said. "I really feel that this is the best way to try to put an end to a lot of the erroneous information that is out there. I hope it clears up the tension of the board and the community."
   The TEA's decision to move ahead with an audit is a reversal of an August decision by then-Texas Education Commissioner Mike Moses against sending agency auditors to examine the expenses.
   In their response, the agency declined to audit the board, stating: "Due to limited resources, the agency will be unable to assist you."
   In turn, trustees approved an outside firm to conduct an audit of the board and superintendent, which school officials estimated would cost about $10,000 and take a month to complete.
   The firm, as of Sept. 21, had completed only one phase of the audit, which cost the district $15,000, but only covered travel expenses from 1998-1999.
   The move to audit the board follows recent allegations of felony theft and misdemeanor official misconduct against board president Frank Reyes and misdemeanor official misconduct allegations against board vice president Manuel Flores.
   The allegations are based on a complaint that former board member Ed Hecht filed with the county attorney's office, claiming that Reyes and Flores violated state law by not reimbursing the district for airline tickets purchased for their family members.
   The Nueces County District Attorney's office is now handling that investigation and, upon completion of the TEA's audit, will determine whether to present the case to the grand jury.
   On Sept. 13, District Attorney Carlos Valdez sent a letter to the TEA requesting the agency audit the board to help his office complete their investigation and determine how to move forward with the investigation of Reyes and Flores.
   Last week, Saavedra said he spoke with new TEA Commissioner Jim Nelson, who agreed to send in agency staff to perform the audit.



Staff writer Jonathan Osborne can be reached at 886-3716 or by e-mail at osbornej@caller.com

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