Brockton accounts review: district outlines steps to centralize warrants, stops distributed credit-card use

At an accounts review subcommittee meeting Feb. 25, Brockton Public Schools officials outlined a multi-step plan to centralize invoice and payroll warrants, tighten procurement controls and stop the practice of multiple department-issued credit cards after the city auditor flagged past procedures.

Superintendent (name not provided) told the committee the district will begin by compiling scanned accounts-payable and payroll documents in a central Munis folder that the superintendent, the CFO and school committee members can access for review. That step, staff said, is intended to give committee members oversight before warrants are submitted to the city auditor. Next steps include submitting compiled packages to the city auditor rather than piecemeal submissions from individual departments, implementing an electronic approval workflow (DocuSign) in coordination with the city, and ultimately reaching a point where approvals occur before the treasurer issues payments.

The superintendent said the district previously allowed many department credit cards—she estimated about 14–15—and that use was stopped immediately after the city auditor…