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School committee considers tighter controls on district purchasing cards and reinstating monthly board review
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Summary
Committee members reviewed proposed limits on procurement cards, discussed reinstating a monthly board review of p‑card purchases (previously done through Aug. 2023) and asked staff to route detailed policy work to the financial oversight committee.
Director Lingo opened the Policy & Governance Committee’s review of the district’s 700‑series noninstructional policies and urged reinstating a monthly board review of purchasing‑card transactions that had been suspended in August 2023.
"I would like to have that reinstated and put as an item within the policy," Director Lingo said, arguing the board had previously reviewed p‑card purchases monthly.
Why this matters: staff told the committee the district’s largest monthly vendor expense is its credit‑card bill, and members said clearer controls could reduce unregulated spending and improve oversight. Shane, introduced in the meeting as the interim chief financial officer, explained why the district prefers purchase requisitions or purchase orders ahead of p‑card spending: they confirm budget availability and make closeout accounting simpler. "You know, our largest vendor that we pay out every month is our credit card bill," Shane said.
What was proposed and discussed: staff and a group of board reviewers recommended procedural changes including limiting the number of active p‑cards and tightening approval language in the procurement card manual (policy 705.2R1). Kirk Pratt, who worked on the manual, offered recommended edits to the e‑card/p‑card policy. Board members asked how everyday building purchases would be handled in practice; one member used an end‑of‑year banquet purchase as an example and asked whether a $200 estimate would be adequate for a requisition. Shane said requisitions need not be exact to the penny and that typical approvals could be completed in one to three days, although a week was suggested as a conservative approval window.
Members also asked staff to publish a list of local vendors that accept purchase orders so clubs and activity groups could avoid p‑card use when possible. The committee did not adopt final policy changes in the meeting; staff recommended routing detailed edits to the financial oversight committee for additional review.
Votes and next steps: the meeting record shows a voice vote to proceed with agenda business and no roll‑call on policy changes. Staff will return recommended edits after the financial oversight committee reviews the procurement‑card manual and the rest of the 700 series. The committee also recorded approval of meeting minutes by voice vote; the transcript records at least two "Aye" responses but does not list a full tally.
