Councilors flag $402K lease, large Amazon and transportation spending as auditors press for clearer invoices

Councilors used the accounts committee's warrants review on Sept. 18 to call attention to several vendors and categories of spending they said need closer scrutiny.

Auditor's data showed BAS Holding Corp. had received $402,553.83 in FY24, and the auditor identified a line item described as a lease for a bus depot (the fairgrounds). "So they've been paid a total of $402,553.83 in fiscal year 24," the auditor said as committee members asked to drill into invoices and vendor details.

Members also highlighted large year-to-date purchases from Amazon (listed by a councilor as $679,383.92) and a transportation vendor—identified in packet materials as Fox Transportation—shown at $742,258.59 year to date. "It is just an opportunity for us to have open competitive bidding, to get the lowest most responsible bidders to transport and save what could be hundreds of thousands of dollars," one councilor said.

Councilors questioned whether school department invoices always met procurement standards (for example, signed POs, service dates, account codes) and whether vendors were properly vetted. The auditor described common vendor invoice templates and said departments must ensure vendor legitimacy before submitting bills for payment. Committee members asked the auditor to assemble invoices and suggested a joint visit to the transportation office to verify fleet size, routes, and rates.

Other items addressed included reimbursement for school-committee conference registrations ($225 each), ticket reimbursements for a gala and grant-funded travel that the auditor said she would verify against grant guidelines. The auditor also noted ARPA funds were used to cover Cosgrove pool rebuilding payroll charges.

The committee asked the auditor to prepare records for follow-up reviews and to report back with findings; no procurement sanctions were imposed at the meeting itself.