Grapevine, Texas June 28, 2017
LocalNewOnly.com requested, via Freedom of Information Act, the expenditures from the GCISD School District that pertained to activities of the Board.
In each case, if a paid employee was part of the expense, they were subtracted from the total; however LNO has included the Admin, in as much as it was reported.
I would like to amend my FOIA in that case to Travel Expenses and other expenses related to conferences attended.
The total amount from 2012 to 2016 was reported as spending $30,500.89 on Board of Trustee for ancillary conventions, seminars and training or around $5,083.48 on an average annualized basis With the obvious exception in 2016 the total exceeded $10,000.
While certainly not a “forensic audit” the paperwork supplied was brief and sometimes expenditures difficult to qualify or quantify.
Here are examples of receipt records (in PDF) recorded:
Becky St. John 1
This is not to suggest that the receipts are not valid or reasonable, just that the accounting for GCISD taxpayer funds would seem to be better defined and classified.
2017 only reported as of May, 2017 the following:
| Date | Event | Participant | Description | Amount |
| 2/6/2017 | TASB Legistlative Conference | Ryan and Board | 4 rooms | $824.04 |
2016 reported the following:
| Date | Event | Participants | Description | Amount | |
| 7/14/2016 | TASB Legistlative Conference | Board | Registration | $2,000.00 | |
| 11/10/2016 | TASB Legistlative Conference | Becky St. John | Convention Houston | $1,095.73 | |
| 11/10/2016 | TASB Legistlative Conference | Leon Leal | Convention Houston | $134.45 | |
| 9/14/2016 | TASB Legistlative Convention | Sullins, Jesse,Jorge Rodriguez | Convention Houston | $1,325.34 | |
| 4/18/2016 | TASB Summer leadership | Board Members | San Ant. Or Ft. Worth | $2,000.00 | |
| 5/19/2016 | TASB Summer leadership | Leon Leal | San Ant. Room | $190.49 | |
| 9/9/2016 | SLI Ft. Worth – Austin Legis. Session | Becky St. John | no designation | $954.35 | |
| 6/22/2016 | CRIS Trustee Training | Board Members | Open Purchase Order | $200.00 | |
| 4/12/2016 | Reimbursement for leadership travel Corpus/San Ant | Becky St. John | Reimbursement | $869.04 | |
| 2/16/2016 | Tx Assoc of School Boards | Jesse Rodriguez | Legal Seminar -Corpus | $350.00 | |
| 1/28/2016 | Natl School Board Registration | Becky St. John | $695.00 | ||
| 1/20/2016 | TASA Mid Winter | Jesse Rodriguez | $521.02 | ||
| Total | $10,335.42 |
Out of the total of more than $10,000, Becky St. John was listed at $3,614.12
2015 reported the following:
| Date | Event | Participants | Description | cost | |
| 10/28/2015 | Texas Assoc School Boards Legal | Trustees | Austin | $320.00 | |
| 10/28/2015 | Texas Assoc School Boards | Jesse Rodriguez | $160.00 | ||
| 7/1/2015 | TASA/TABA Conference | Board of Trustees | Austin | $1,950.00 | |
| 10/9/2015 | TASA/TABA Convention | Karen Deakin | Austin | $455.62 | |
| 9/28/2015 | TASA / TABA Convention | Jesse Rodriguez | Austin | $412.02 | |
| 8/28/2015 | Leadership Conf. | 6 Board members ($375 ea) | Ft. Worth | $2,250.00 | |
| 8/31/2016 | Natl Travel Systems, Lubbock Legislative Conf. | Ryan and Deakin | Austin | $843.98 | |
| 4/21/2015 | NTAASB meeting | Board | Toll to Dallas | $6.62 | |
| 3/30/2015 | NTAASB meeting | Board | Toll to Dallas | $3.02 | |
| 1/25/2015 | TASA Mid Winter Conf- Regis | Jesse Rodriguez | Austin | $275.00 | |
| 1/25/2015 | TASA Mid Winter Conf – Regis | Leon Leal | Austin | $275.00 | |
| 1/25/2015 | TASA Mid Winter Conf -Room? | Leon Leal | Austin | $423.22 | |
| 3/26/2015 | Driver expense? | Suburban Daily Fee? | $50.00 |
Total 2015: $7,424.48
2014 reported the following:
| Date | Event | Participant | Description | Amount | |
| 7/17/2014 | TASA/TABA Convention | Board | Dallas | $2,275.00 | |
| 11/3/2014 | TASA/TABA Convention | Leon Leal | Dallas parking | $30.00 | |
| 4/10/2014 | Summer leadership | Board | Ft. Worth | $1,000.00 | |
| 6/24/2014 | Summer Leadership | Board | Ft. Worth/San Antlonio | $1,010.16 | |
| 6/25/2014 | Graduations? | Surburban Daily Fee Diver | $50.00 | ||
| 3/19/2014 | North Texas Commission | Ryan and Jorge Rodriguez | $270.00 | ||
| Total 2014 | $4,635.16 |
2013 reported the following:
| Date | Event | Participant | Description | Amount | |
| 10/15/2013 | Admin | Driver’s fee | $50.00 | ||
| 6/25/2013 | Admin | Driver’s fee | $50.00 | ||
| 9/27/2013 | TASA/TABA Convention | Board/Ryan | Dallas | $2,065.00 | |
| 6/24/2013 | SLI/TASB | Jesse Rodriguez | San Antoinio | $300.80 | |
| 6/7/2013 | Natl Travel Agency | Jorge Rodriguez | San Antonio | $125.89 | |
| 6/6/2013 | Admin | Driver for Ryan | UTA College Park | $50.00 | |
| 3/20/2013 | TASA/TASB Legislative Austin | Hotel RM for Kimberly Davis | Hilton Austin | $195.11 | |
| 3/18/2013 | TASA/TASB Legislative Austin | Hotel RM for Karen Deakin | Hilton Austin | $195.11 | |
| 2/16/2013 | Admin | Driver for Ryan | Suburban daily fee | $50.00 |
Total: $3,081.91
2012 reported the following:
| 8/6/2012 | Admin | Driver for Kim Hutto | Suburban daily fee | $50.00 | |
| 11/1/2012 | Travel Expenses to Austin for TASB | Leon Leal for Board | Board of Trustees | $188.65 | |
| 9/26/2012 | TASA/TASB | Rooms for Board and admin | $2,511.86 | ||
| 5/17/2012 | SLI | Jesse Rodriguez/Karen Deakin | Rooms for 2 | $1,342.29 | |
| 6/6/2012 | Admin | Ryan Car to UTA Campus | Driver fee | $50.00 | |
| 6/13/2012 | TASB/TLI | Jesse Rodriguez/Karen Deakin/St. John | Rooms and parking San Antonio | $761.24 | |
| 5/13/2012 | Board Dinner | Betwween Graduations | CHHS, GHS | $120.30 |
Total: $5,024.34
