The expense reports and credit card records for Board of Education member Christopher Barclay do not show the names of all of the guests he took to restaurants with his MCPS credit card.
Below is a list of some of the recipients of meals paid for from the MCPS Operating Budget by Mr. Barclay during 2012 through the first part of 2014.
4/19/12 $20 Constituent
4/27/12 $67 Luis Cardona
6/15/12 $37.01 Community Superintendent and MCCPTA Rep
6/20/12 $58.13 Dr. Statham (MCPS)
6/29/12 $34 Ben Moskowitz (former student member of BOE)
8/14/13 $14 Constituent
8/23/12 $23.85 Student
8/30/12 $12.67 Council Staffer
8/31/12 $13.07 students
9/1/12 $23.87 students
9/14/12 $10.37 constituent
9/22/12 $28.13 constituent
10/11/12 $32.00 County Council Vice President Navarro
10/23/12 $23.06 Young Democrats
10/24/12 $46 Troy Boddy
10/02/12 $39 Council Staff
10/06/12 $174.06 Officials from Zimbabwe
10/29/12 $47.17 3 constituent/parents
11/13/12 $29 D.C. Administration
11/29/12 $26 John Landesman (MCPS)
12/19/12 $27.56 Young Democrats
1/9/13 $30 Vernon Ricks
1/25/13 $39 Shebra Evans
1/9/13 $14 Constituent
1/17/2013 $29 Chris Lloyd (MCEA Vice President)
1/10/13 $9.18 Sharif Robinson
1/9/13 $30 Vernon Ricks
2/22/13 $25 Curtis Johnson
2/27/13 $8.88 and $10.00 Jane DeWinter
2/24/13 $61 CB/PK/RS/JM which would probably be Chris Barclay, Phil Kauffman Rebecca Smondrowskit and John Mannes
3/20/13 $38 Hans Reimer
3/7/13 47 $47 Constituent
3/25/13 $36 Shebra Evans
3/13/13 $0 Judith Clarke
3/11 13 XXX Paul Weckstein
4/15/13 $97.45 Phil Kauffman, Shirley Brandman
4/3/13 $78 Dr. Statham (MCPS)
4/9/13 $65 Mr. Bartee
4/17/13 $70.36 Mr. Williams
5/1/13 $24.21 Bronda Mills
6/5/13 $39 Francoise Carrier (Planning Board Chair)
6/10/13 $36 Constituent
6/21/13 $46.50 D. Beyer
6/4/13 $27 A. Zuckerman (MCPS)
6/18/13 $59.35 Phil Kauffman, Rebecca Smondrowski, Patricia O'Neill (Retreat Planning MEETING)
7/11/13 $26 Marcus Moore (former Gazette reporter)
7/22/13 $27 constituent
7/30/13 $63.90 Northeast Consortium
8/8/13 $49.20 MCCPTA
8/28/13 $36.36 Rebecca Smondrowski
9/12/13 $34.99 Rebecca Smondrowski
9/6/13 $32 Rebecca Smondrowski
10/24/13 $70 MCCPTA
10/28/13 $30.48 Constituent
10/25/13 $27.53 Constituent
10/17/13 $27.46 Dr. Statham (MCPS)
10/01/13 $18.02 Council Staff
11/18/13 $26.16 MCCPTA
11/22/13 $15.42 Blair Cluster
11/26/13 $36.40 constitutent
11/14/13 $75 Joshua Starr and Phil Kauffman
12/19/13 $29 Christina Johnson (Rebuilding Together in Mont. Co.)
12/20/13 $54 Michael Scarano (Rockin' the Rage)
12/31/13 $34.74 Mr. Williams (Minority Scholars Program)
1/17/14 $24 Brian Roberts and County Staff
1/6/14 $33 Anita Powell NAACP
1/30/14 $27 Francis Frost
2/10/14 $13.78 H. Marie Henderson
Thursday, June 5, 2014
WPost: MoCo teachers’ union votes to drop Barclay, but passes on endorsing Hucker
Entire story at:The 12,000-member Montgomery County teachers’ union withdrew its endorsement of County Council District 5 candidate and Board of Education member Christopher Barclay Wednesday evening, becoming the second public employee union to rescind its recommendation after reports that he abused a board-issued credit card and has been unable to raise money for his campaign.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/moco-teachers-union-votes-to-drop-barclay-but-passes-on-endorsing-hucker/2014/06/04/3171cafc-ec41-11e3-b98c-72cef4a00499_story.html
Note to readers: The teachers' union endorsements are promoted by the union as the "Apple Ballot selections" because the union has determined that the term "Apple Ballot" is more palatable to the public than "Union Endorsements".
PG Parents and Neighbors Oppose Doug Duncan Cell Tower Plan #MilestoneCommunications #celltower #nobrainer
http://www.thesentinel.com/pgs/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=423:parents-and-neighbors-oppose-cell-phone-tower&Itemid=766BOWIE – Benjamin Tasker Middle School is slated to become one of the first public schools in Prince George’s County to gain approval for a cell phone tower, but a group of parents remain concerned about health issues.
The Sentinel Newspapers
Some community members have said the benefits do not outweigh the costs, the developer in charge of the project says it has done more than enough outreach to the community.
According to a leasing agreement signed by Prince George’s County Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Kevin Maxwell, the Board of Education will receive $25,000 per tower site. Each school will receive 40 percent of gross revenues generated from the tower on its site while the remaining 60 percent of tower revenue will go to Milestone Communications...
MCEA Withdraws Its Endorsement Of Barclay In Wake Of Credit Card Controversy
...In a brief conversation Wednesday evening, Barclay reiterated earlier comments that he plans to remain in the race, and later issued a statement declaring in part: “I am disappointed in the decisions of MCEA and SEIU. I have stood with [Montgomery County Public School] employees to make sure they got pay increases, to fend off furloughs and to make sure that they could maintain affordable health benefits when times got tough. It's too bad they couldn't do the same for me.”
The MCEA decision appears to be the first time the group has rescinded the endorsement of a candidate in the midst of a campaign...
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Councilmember Elrich, “It baffles me. I’m shocked.”
A Montgomery County school board committee that is examining board members’ credit card practices plans to close some of its meetings to the public as it reviews elected officials’ expenses...
...Some questioned the basis for keeping out the public.http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/montgomery-schools-officials-to-close-some-meetings-on-spending-practices/2014/06/04/a6c1e16c-ea9c-11e3-9f5c-9075d5508f0a_story.html
“I don’t get the need for secrecy,” said County Council member Marc Elrich (D-At Large), a former teacher who pointed out that the credit card charges and expense records are publicly available documents. “It baffles me. I’m shocked.”
Teachers Withdraw Recommendation in County Council District 5 Race
Delegates attending today’s monthly meeting of the MCEA Representative Assembly have voted to rescind their recommendation of Christopher Barclay in the race for the District 5 seat on the Montgomery County Council. MCEA President Doug Prouty issued the following statement:
“As teachers and childhood educators, we hold ourselves to the highest of standards. It is what our community expects of all those in public service. We also believe that Chris Barclay has been – and we hope will continue to be – an important voice for our county’s neediest students, schools and neighborhoods. Nevertheless, we regretfully withdraw MCEA’s recommendation of Mr. Barclay in the June 24th primary election for the vacant County Council District 5 office. We look forward to continuing to work with Chris as a member of the Board of Education. We believe that he – and we – can continue to be strong partners in focusing resources and attention on the challenge of closing student achievement gaps and narrowing the growing income gaps in our community. We believe Chris can have a good future in public service in the county. But in light of the recent news and financial disclosures, we cannot recommend him in this race at this time”.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
ABC7 Watchdog Report: Consequences for BOE and Christopher Barclay
"The committee has requested, and all Board members have agreed, to suspend the usage of their MCPS-issued credit cards while the committee conducts its work," the statement adds.
However, the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, a community watchdog organization, has a lot questions about the newly formed ad hoc committee. High on their list of inquiries: where and when will their meetings take place, and will members of the public be allowed to attend?
"The cure for secret spending is not a secret committee. So, it needs to be open to the public, and it needs to have transparency," Parents' Coalition member Kathy Gambrell said. "These issues need to be taken care of in the light of day."
Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/06/mcps-bans-use-of-school-board-credit-cards-amid-chris-barclay-scandal-103774.html#ixzz33dL2F3cd
Follow us: @ABC7News on Twitter | WJLATV on Facebook
WJLA: SEIU Local 500 drops endorsement for Chris Barclay amid credit card scandal. MCEA may do the same tomorrow.
Kevin Lewis
SEIU Local 500 drops endorsement for Chris Barclay amid credit card scandal. MCEA may do the same tomorrow. @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/rzrozFU20N
Breaking News: Open Meetings Act Complaint Filed on BOE Secret Credit Card Committee
Yesterday, the Montgomery County Board of Education President Phil Kauffman announced that BOE members would stop using their MCPS credit cards while a committee discusses BOE spending.
What committee? When have they met? Where are the minutes of these meetings? What happened to the Maryland Open Meetings Act?
The Parents' Coalition has asked the Open Meetings Compliance Board to look into the creation of this secret committee. Below is the complaint that was filed on May 31, 2014.
**************
May 31, 2014
Open Meetings Compliance Board
c/o Attorney General's Office
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
Re: Open Meetings Act Complaint - Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education
To whom it may concern:
The following Complaint is filed with your office with regard to meeting procedures of the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education and an apparent violation of the Maryland Open Meetings Act.
1. On May 22, 2014 the Washington Post published an article in which it quoted the President of the Montgomery County Board of Education Phil Kauffman as saying that he "had created an ad hoc committee April 25 to look at expense policies". Please see attached.
2. On May 25, 2014 in response to an inquiry the Board President Phil Kauffman informed me via e-mail that the three person task force he had created had its first meeting at the beginning of May. Mr. Kauffman confirmed that no public announcement was ever made about the meeting.
3. On May 29, 2014 a Board of Education staff member Suzann King notified me in a telephone conversation that the task force met on May 6, 2014 and that no minutes from the meeting were available.
As this directly impacts the ability of the public to monitor the actions of our elected Board of Education I thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Danuta Wilson
What committee? When have they met? Where are the minutes of these meetings? What happened to the Maryland Open Meetings Act?
The Parents' Coalition has asked the Open Meetings Compliance Board to look into the creation of this secret committee. Below is the complaint that was filed on May 31, 2014.
**************
May 31, 2014
Open Meetings Compliance Board
c/o Attorney General's Office
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
Re: Open Meetings Act Complaint - Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education
To whom it may concern:
The following Complaint is filed with your office with regard to meeting procedures of the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education and an apparent violation of the Maryland Open Meetings Act.
1. On May 22, 2014 the Washington Post published an article in which it quoted the President of the Montgomery County Board of Education Phil Kauffman as saying that he "had created an ad hoc committee April 25 to look at expense policies". Please see attached.
2. On May 25, 2014 in response to an inquiry the Board President Phil Kauffman informed me via e-mail that the three person task force he had created had its first meeting at the beginning of May. Mr. Kauffman confirmed that no public announcement was ever made about the meeting.
3. On May 29, 2014 a Board of Education staff member Suzann King notified me in a telephone conversation that the task force met on May 6, 2014 and that no minutes from the meeting were available.
As this directly impacts the ability of the public to monitor the actions of our elected Board of Education I thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Danuta Wilson
WTOP: Spending frozen for all Montgomery County school board members
WASHINGTON -- The Montgomery County school board has suspended the use of school system-issued credit cards for all board members after one of its leaders used his improperly.
On May 21, ABC7 reported that school board member Christopher S. Barclay used his American Express card to buy meals and pay for hotel rooms.
Among the 14 unauthorized purchases he made, Barclay spent $906 on Hotwire.com and $73 at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Also, he used the purchase card at Popeyes, CVS and 7-Eleven, among other places.
BOE At Large Candidates Respond to Barclay Credit Card Scandal
We asked Board of Education At Large Candidates to respond to our April 30th Press Release. Responses received are below.
The Parents' Coalition has received a comment from at-large candidate Merry Eisner-Heidorn to our April 30th press release information. http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2014/04/exclusive-board-of-education-member.html
We would like to post responses to our press release from all of the at-large Board of Education candidates.Please send your response by Friday, May 30th. If you do not wish to respond to this press release, please let us know.
Thank you!
Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD
***************************************
Amatetti, Edward
No response
***********************
Evans, Shebra
No response***********************
Heidorn, Merry Eisner
Because the bell times recommendation is due to be made on June 17th, I've been reaching out to all of them. Our supporters have been asking where all the Board of Education members stand on this issue. I couldn't help myself - so I talked to Phil about this one. He said that the policy governing expenses was created to enable those without means to run for the Board of Education. That is almost an exact quote. $96K in allowable expenses so that "poor people" would be able to serve as easily as wealthy people.
I believe that all of us, regardless of socioeconomic status, believe that public education dollars should be invested in our children. That is the point. And I believe that if we are called to serve, we're called to serve. The dollars aren't the driving factor. I'm not running for the Board of Education because of the salary or the credit cards and the opportunity to eat lunch with people, I'm doing so to serve the people. I would do so without recompense or credit cards. It's about the kids.
Have you seen the statement on Chris's campaign page?
http://www.christopherbarclay.org/statement_from_christopher_barclay_regarding_board_of_education_expenses
He supports a task force review of MCPS/BOE credit card policies. I've been in work groups. I've been in steering committees. This is one of those issues that doesn't require one. Just cut up the cards, set a cap on dining (if allowed at all), and remember your goal. Public education dollars for public education. It's not about feeding the kids!
Merry Eisner Heidorn
http://merry4boe.wordpress.com/
merry4boe@gmail.com
(240) 401-7399
************************
Ortman-Fouse, Jill
Dear Parents' Coalition:
Working for an accountable and transparent school system has been a fundamental message of my campaign since the beginning, and it’s one of the reasons I’m running. It’s on the home page of my campaign website and on my campaign literature. I’ve been talking extensively about this issue with concerned parents and other voters at all my events and interviews. It’s also why the Gazette endorsed me even before the credit card story came out: “Ortman-Fouse earns The Gazette endorsement for her commitment to looking into the budget through the eyes of an independent auditor and suggesting that perhaps the school system staff is top heavy in administration but lacks staff to help board members evaluate the proposals the superintendent makes.”
There appear to be issues on multiple levels.
If mistakes were made repeatedly in the interpretation of guidelines around use of BOE member credit cards, then best practices were not in place for the oversight of the expense account for the board. If mistakes were made repeatedly out of confusion, then this issue could have been remedied. Here are some possible solutions: put BOE label on the card, bill cardholders directly who then submit for reimbursement, or keep the card in a special envelope. Either way, corrective action needs to be taken promptly to restore trust and ensure fiscal responsibility. A review of the intent of the expense account and guidelines is an obvious first step.
I can only guess why an exception was made for BOE members to receive credit cards when it is not the policy of the County Council. But whatever the case, these incidents speak to a much larger accountability and transparency issue that must be addressed.
Another issue appears to be the low salary of the BOE members. If the BOE and other stakeholders believe the compensation is not commensurate with the responsibilities and workload, a review should take place, and pending that review, our Montgomery County delegation can take the recommendation to our General Assembly where it will likely pass as a courtesy. That would be a straight forward way for board members to afford to pay for their own meals. Options for funding a salary increase could come pending an external audit and may include simply moving funding from the expense account to salaries.
It does not follow IRS guidelines to charge for mileage to your place of employment. Organizations generally follow IRS guidelines when determining policy. Before I had my own business, I spent most of my career working for non-profits. I have certainly been a part of many all-day meetings where a simple lunch or dinner was served. I don’t recall ever charging for a meal to my organization when meeting with a co-worker.
This is what I do know. Every dollar counts. And the Board of Education is ultimately responsible for every dollar spent by our system. The other half of the budget is managed by the County Council. The difference between the County Council’s ability to provide oversight and the BOE’s capacity is dramatic. As has been acknowledged, BOE positions are paid part-time, although it appears their job is a full-time responsibility. They have seven total staff members, including administrative assistants and the ombudsman. The County Council positions are full-time and compensated well, each has their own individual staff and the council has a collective staff. They also have an Office of Legislative Oversight whose task is “to provide accurate information, analysis and independent findings and recommendations that help the County Council fulfill its legislative oversight function.” They also have an Office of Inspector General whose mission is to “serve as a watchdog to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse.” I would be open to hearing all suggestions for improvement including moving select auditing and research staff from MCPS’s Office of Shared Accountability, which has a staff of 42, to the BOE to help assist them in independent research and analysis.
Now, more than ever, our school system must ensure it has a strategic operational plan with objectives, timelines and metrics to assess initiatives. We need a comprehensive review of all ad-hoc and joint programs to look for duplication and adjustments that may be necessary for greater efficiency and impact with the ultimate goal of improving student outcomes. There are many tools that can be used to accomplish these tasks, but a dedicated effort to track what’s working and what’s not is of highest importance to our students’ future.
A few hundred dollars spent here and there may not seem like a big deal, but it adds up quickly in the life of our students and teachers. For instance, our school PTAs struggle to fund mini-grant proposals every year. As a member of my daughter’s high school PTA executive board, I was recently tasked with approving mini-grant proposals from our teachers. Science teachers asked for $275 for one electronic balance scale, a hot plate/stirrer for $380, a centrifuge for $370, etc. If they don't get those tools, then their instruction can't include demonstration projects. The students just end up reading about them. I can only imagine what schools that are more highly impacted by poverty are going without. We had a request for mini-grants for four headsets for foreign language students, and the list goes on.
It is imperative that the board ensure that dollars are not slipping through cracks due to lack of planning, waste, etc., and that the valuable time of our hard-working and dedicated staff—from central administration to the classroom—is being used wisely for the best outcomes of our kids. With the growing challenges our county is facing, it is more important than ever to take every step we can to ensure that our classrooms are not getting short-changed, and our teachers and students have the critical resources to meet the wide spectrum of needs and expectations for vibrant school system.
Respectfully,
Jill
There appear to be issues on multiple levels.
If mistakes were made repeatedly in the interpretation of guidelines around use of BOE member credit cards, then best practices were not in place for the oversight of the expense account for the board. If mistakes were made repeatedly out of confusion, then this issue could have been remedied. Here are some possible solutions: put BOE label on the card, bill cardholders directly who then submit for reimbursement, or keep the card in a special envelope. Either way, corrective action needs to be taken promptly to restore trust and ensure fiscal responsibility. A review of the intent of the expense account and guidelines is an obvious first step.
I can only guess why an exception was made for BOE members to receive credit cards when it is not the policy of the County Council. But whatever the case, these incidents speak to a much larger accountability and transparency issue that must be addressed.
Another issue appears to be the low salary of the BOE members. If the BOE and other stakeholders believe the compensation is not commensurate with the responsibilities and workload, a review should take place, and pending that review, our Montgomery County delegation can take the recommendation to our General Assembly where it will likely pass as a courtesy. That would be a straight forward way for board members to afford to pay for their own meals. Options for funding a salary increase could come pending an external audit and may include simply moving funding from the expense account to salaries.
It does not follow IRS guidelines to charge for mileage to your place of employment. Organizations generally follow IRS guidelines when determining policy. Before I had my own business, I spent most of my career working for non-profits. I have certainly been a part of many all-day meetings where a simple lunch or dinner was served. I don’t recall ever charging for a meal to my organization when meeting with a co-worker.
This is what I do know. Every dollar counts. And the Board of Education is ultimately responsible for every dollar spent by our system. The other half of the budget is managed by the County Council. The difference between the County Council’s ability to provide oversight and the BOE’s capacity is dramatic. As has been acknowledged, BOE positions are paid part-time, although it appears their job is a full-time responsibility. They have seven total staff members, including administrative assistants and the ombudsman. The County Council positions are full-time and compensated well, each has their own individual staff and the council has a collective staff. They also have an Office of Legislative Oversight whose task is “to provide accurate information, analysis and independent findings and recommendations that help the County Council fulfill its legislative oversight function.” They also have an Office of Inspector General whose mission is to “serve as a watchdog to detect and prevent fraud, waste and abuse.” I would be open to hearing all suggestions for improvement including moving select auditing and research staff from MCPS’s Office of Shared Accountability, which has a staff of 42, to the BOE to help assist them in independent research and analysis.
Now, more than ever, our school system must ensure it has a strategic operational plan with objectives, timelines and metrics to assess initiatives. We need a comprehensive review of all ad-hoc and joint programs to look for duplication and adjustments that may be necessary for greater efficiency and impact with the ultimate goal of improving student outcomes. There are many tools that can be used to accomplish these tasks, but a dedicated effort to track what’s working and what’s not is of highest importance to our students’ future.
A few hundred dollars spent here and there may not seem like a big deal, but it adds up quickly in the life of our students and teachers. For instance, our school PTAs struggle to fund mini-grant proposals every year. As a member of my daughter’s high school PTA executive board, I was recently tasked with approving mini-grant proposals from our teachers. Science teachers asked for $275 for one electronic balance scale, a hot plate/stirrer for $380, a centrifuge for $370, etc. If they don't get those tools, then their instruction can't include demonstration projects. The students just end up reading about them. I can only imagine what schools that are more highly impacted by poverty are going without. We had a request for mini-grants for four headsets for foreign language students, and the list goes on.
It is imperative that the board ensure that dollars are not slipping through cracks due to lack of planning, waste, etc., and that the valuable time of our hard-working and dedicated staff—from central administration to the classroom—is being used wisely for the best outcomes of our kids. With the growing challenges our county is facing, it is more important than ever to take every step we can to ensure that our classrooms are not getting short-changed, and our teachers and students have the critical resources to meet the wide spectrum of needs and expectations for vibrant school system.
Respectfully,
Jill
***********************************************
Jill Ortman-FouseWorking for All Kids!
Candidate, Board of Education At Large
Jill Ortman-FouseWorking for All Kids!
Candidate, Board of Education At Large
Stay In Touch
Phone: 301.379.9339
Phone: 301.379.9339
Web: www.Jill4AllKids.com
Twitter: @Jill4AllKids
Facebook: Jill4AllKids
Monday, June 2, 2014
Unofficial Press Release on Financial Issues by Board of Education Member in Montgomery County
At the Parents Coalition, we only post verifiable material. We like the facts, so that folks can decide for themselves.
That's why this unusual "press release" that crossed our inbox today is posted with a caveat.
Note - it's not on Board of Education letterhead. It doesn't have a contact person - don't these usually have a contact person? This blogger isn't sure that it's a bona fide statement from the BOE leaders.
But it's interesting in view of the Washington Post article and the ongoing allegations about candidate for county council and current BOE member Chris Barclay.
If it's true - here are some thoughts.
Why is the Board of Education only posting this now? The story about Mr. Barclay has been around for a few weeks. The ad hoc committee was formed a few months ago, and allegedly has met, although public notice under the Open Meeting Act is not on the Board of Education website.
But - suspending credit card usage is long overdue. Remember, the Board of Education is a part time position. How many of us receive credit cards from our full time employer? From our part time employer?
Also overdue is suspending the credit cards for the numerous other MCPS employees. If the school system isn't going to provide adequate oversight over public moneys, it's just too tempting to keep this practice going. Time to go back to centralized purchasing.
And, please - get rid of the meal subsidies for MCPS top brass. School system business and meetings should be conducted at school facilities and in the public view, not at restaurants. Take a half hour break for lunch at the Carver cafeteria or brown bag it, but please pay your own way.
At the Parents Coalition, we've looked into credit card abuses for a long time. Finally, someone is paying attention.
That's why this unusual "press release" that crossed our inbox today is posted with a caveat.
Note - it's not on Board of Education letterhead. It doesn't have a contact person - don't these usually have a contact person? This blogger isn't sure that it's a bona fide statement from the BOE leaders.
But it's interesting in view of the Washington Post article and the ongoing allegations about candidate for county council and current BOE member Chris Barclay.
| Board of Education Leaders Issue Statement on Use of Credit Cards by Board Members |
A statement from Board of Education President Phil Kauffman and Vice President Patricia O'Neill:
The Board of Education takes very seriously its responsibility to oversee Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in an ethical and fiscally responsible manner. The Board works diligently to ensure that the taxpayer resources provided to the school system are used in a manner that promotes high-quality educational opportunities for our students. Board of Education members are issued credit cards to cover certain expenses they incur while conducting official Board business. Recent public interest in the usage of credit cards by Board members has emphasized the necessity to review our processes and procedures to ensure that these cards are being used in an appropriate manner. An ad-hoc committee composed of the Board officers and Board Member Michael Durso, chair of our Fiscal Management Committee, was formed in April. The committee has been charged with reviewing the Board’s processes and guidelines regarding reimbursable expenses. The committee will make recommendations to the full Board for adoption and implementation. The committee’s work will also include a review of the Board’s expenses for the last two years in order to inform its forward-looking recommendations, as well as a review of the appropriateness of these expenditures under our policies. The committee has requested, and all Board members have agreed, to suspend usage of their MCPS-issued credit cards while the committee conducts its work. We are aware that MCPS has received a number of public requests for documents related to the usage of credit cards. Staff is diligently locating and reviewing the responsive documents and will produce the relevant materials. |
If it's true - here are some thoughts.
Why is the Board of Education only posting this now? The story about Mr. Barclay has been around for a few weeks. The ad hoc committee was formed a few months ago, and allegedly has met, although public notice under the Open Meeting Act is not on the Board of Education website.
But - suspending credit card usage is long overdue. Remember, the Board of Education is a part time position. How many of us receive credit cards from our full time employer? From our part time employer?
Also overdue is suspending the credit cards for the numerous other MCPS employees. If the school system isn't going to provide adequate oversight over public moneys, it's just too tempting to keep this practice going. Time to go back to centralized purchasing.
And, please - get rid of the meal subsidies for MCPS top brass. School system business and meetings should be conducted at school facilities and in the public view, not at restaurants. Take a half hour break for lunch at the Carver cafeteria or brown bag it, but please pay your own way.
At the Parents Coalition, we've looked into credit card abuses for a long time. Finally, someone is paying attention.
Why is Walter Johnson HS Artificial Turf Shredding? #defective #artificialturf
Pictures were taken of the Walter Johnson High School artificial turf field on May 3, 2014.
Piles and piles of shredded plastic grass were evident on the field. The plastic grass fibers are shredding.
Just like was detailed in the FieldTurf v. TenCate lawsuit.
Piles and piles of shredded plastic grass were evident on the field. The plastic grass fibers are shredding.
Just like was detailed in the FieldTurf v. TenCate lawsuit.
 |
| Plastic fibers in piles on WJHS artificial turf field. |
.JPG)
County Committed to Replacing Artificial Turf at Churchill HS at No Cost to Churchill Parents #backroomdeal
On June 3, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education will vote to approve a secret deal to put an artificial turf football field at Churchill High School. You remember Churchill High School, the one that loved their natural grass field?
The neighbors to this high school have no clue what is about to happen to their neighborhood. They haven't been told that the stadium usage will increase dramatically and increase traffic, noise, lighting etc... The field will be locked up and neighborhood use will be ended at this public field. According to this e-mail neighbors are not the "appropriate parties." to discuss this "deal."
The President of the Churchill High School Booster Club has posted an e-mail to a neighborhood listserv to "allay the concerns." In that e-mail we learn that when the Churchill artificial turf football field needs to be replaced it will be replaced by "the County...at no cost to Churchill." Where is that little nugget written down?
The neighbors to this high school have no clue what is about to happen to their neighborhood. They haven't been told that the stadium usage will increase dramatically and increase traffic, noise, lighting etc... The field will be locked up and neighborhood use will be ended at this public field. According to this e-mail neighbors are not the "appropriate parties." to discuss this "deal."
The President of the Churchill High School Booster Club has posted an e-mail to a neighborhood listserv to "allay the concerns." In that e-mail we learn that when the Churchill artificial turf football field needs to be replaced it will be replaced by "the County...at no cost to Churchill." Where is that little nugget written down?
In response to the recent emails re the turf field at Churchill, I thought I would share an email of the facts of the ongoing year+ long process from the Churchill Booster Club President. Many parties have been working on this issue with Montgomery County athletics for the last couple of years:
To allay the concerns expressed in your email, please consider the following, which reflects what actually is going on: During the 2013-2014 school year, a partnership made up of three parties -- Bethesda Lacrosse Association, Potomac Soccer Association and Churchill's own Booster Club -- responded to an RFP issued by Montgomery County to replace the current grass field in Churchill's football stadium with a turf field.
Approval of that partnership's response is scheduled to be voted on by the Board of Education on June 3. If approved, Churchill will get a turf field that will be at least 80% funded by Bethesda Lacrosse and Potomac Soccer. In return for their funding, BLA and PSA collectively will get 1000 hours of field use during times when Churchill athletic teams are not using the field. The specific hours of usage will be determined following a Board of Education vote in favor of the partnership's proposal.
Assuming a favorable vote, the Churchill Athletic Department will work with PSA and BLA to determine a schedule that satisfies each constituent's interests. As for your reference to maintenance costs, the partnership, along with CHS's Athletic Department, has taken into account the amount of savings that Churchill will realize by having a turf field rather than a grass field, and the savings are substantial and significant.
Moreover, after eight to ten years, well within the anticipated life span of a turf field, the County will replace the field at no cost to Churchill. Despite what the CJMS Wall may have inaccurately conveyed, the installation of a turf field has been seriously considered and studied by the appropriate parties who have determined that approval of the partnership's proposal is clearly in Churchill's best interests. The next step to enable the anticipated results to become a reality is the school board's approval of the partnerships' proposal on June 3.
– Larry Tannenbaum – WCHS Booster Club President
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