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Tuesday, February 15, 2000
Credit card policy eyed by CCISD
Proposal would limit who purchases what
By Darren Barbee
Caller-Times
From janitors to administrators, programmable credit cards would tighten spending by using by limiting what employees can buy and how much they can spend, CCISD officials say.
The Corpus Christi Independent School District's board on Monday heard a credit card policy outlined by hired consultant Peat Marwick KPMG, which would create what are described as intelligent credit cards. These smart cards would limit what kind of items could be bought.
For instance, a plumber might be restricted to purchasing $300 worth of plumbing supplies with his card during a school year, officials said.
The policy:
Requires that all purchases be documented with receipts.
Sets up a system of review in which an employee's department head and a credit card administrator in the district's finance department will review charges.
States that employees who use credit cards for personal use will be fired.
The policy comes as the district tries to tighten up loose accounting procedures blamed for a board travel and spending controversy. Those accounting procedures were criticized in a Texas Education Agency preliminary audit released in December.
Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra said the credit card policy would improve the district's procedures and make the district a leader in such policies.
"I hate to go through all of this pain," Saavedra said, "But something good can come of it."
The board could vote on a policy, the district's first for credit cards, at its March 6 meeting. Two board votes are required to enact new policy.
The policy would give oversight of credit cards to department heads and the assistant superintendent for business and support services.
Trustee Pinky Brauer said the smart cards would be good for the district.
"I think it's the crowning touch," she said.
The proposal would create a system of checks and balances the district has never had before.
According to the TEA, since 1993, $14,355.63 was charged for meals to district administrators' American Express cards. The TEA termed the meals excessive and said some meals were reimbursed by trustees who provided either no receipt or a partial receipt.
Questions of inappropriate credit card use followed a Caller-Times review of district American Express records that showed $5,311 charged by a former assistant superintendent for trips to topless bars. Those charges by T.W. "Buff" Marlin later were paid to the establishment and credited to the district's account, so CCISD never paid any money for the visits.
Trustees said that type of thing couldn't happen under the new policy. Credit cards cannot be used for personal charges, cash advances, recreation or restocking inventory.
Before the March 6 meeting, district staff will look to incorporate additional controls into board travel and spending, said Ricardo Rodriguez, interim assistant superintendent for business and financial affairs.
Staff writer Darren Barbee can be reached at 886-3764 or by e-mail at barbeed@caller.com
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