School Board to Eliminate Credit Cards
Board Will Vote to Change Its Credit Card Policy
The Prince George’s County school board voted to cut up their own county-issued credit cards, in the wake of media reports of past charges for expensive meals.
“I think that doing this is the absolute right thing to do and I always have, regardless of media coverage,” said board chair Segun Eubanks prior to the vote. “We don’t need them, and the public has high expectations.”
The vote to ban credit cards came as an amendment to a board policy revision on expenditures introduced at the board’s Jan. 22 meeting. Board members Zabrina Epps (Dist. 1) and Dinora Hernandez (Dist. 3) were absent.
The board is expected to make a final vote on the revision at its Feb. 12 meeting.
In addition to $18,000 a year in salary, school board members receive $7,000 in reimbursements for expenses related to their duties, such as working meals and professional development conferences.
The credit cards, intended to be used for allowable expenses related to board duties, came under increased scrutiny from legislators and community members after reports in October that some credit card expenditures included meals at local restaurants in excess of $50.
While the expenses were allowable under current board policy and state law, board members said the negative publicity served as a distraction from their duties.“It’s important that we move forward with our work and not have this be an issue,” said board vice chair Carolyn Boston (Dist. 6), who put forward the motion to eliminate board members’ credit cards. “We need to have this off the table so we can concentrate on the work we need to do.”
The board policy revision limits board members to two local meals per week, and sets a $39 cap on dinners, with lower caps for breakfast and lunch.
Eubanks said that other policy changes, including a board office credit card for making conference and travel reservations and a procedure for cash advances, have made the credit cards unnecessary without unduly burdening school board members who may not have ready funds.
“These policies should eliminate the need for credit cards in the future,” Eubanks said.
Maryland Del. Alonzo Washington (D-Dist. 22) of Hyattsville proposed a bill to strip board members of their credit cards. Washington said in December the bill was needed because of scrutiny into board spending as well as unauthorized expenses made in 2013 by former school board member Carletta Fellows.
“I’m glad to hear they decided to take these necessary steps towards improving transparency and accountability in government,” Washington said. “If they take this step, I will consider retracting my bill.”
Board members rejected a motion by Edward Burroughs III (Dist. 8) to support Washington’s legislation prior to passing the credit card ban.
“I think this is a matter that is better resolved by this board than by legislation,” board member Daniel Kaufman said of his “no” vote.
David Cahn, co-chair of the education governance watchdog “Citizens for an Elected Board,” applauded the board’s decision.
“Given the history of abuse of credit cards, in both PGCPS and county government, I think this is a good thing, and it is better the board step up and do this themselves rather than the General Assembly doing it for them,” Cahn said.
Source: The Gazette
Author: Jaimie Anfenson-Comeau
Date: January 26, 2015