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Board member demands review after $2,500 foundation setup charge on district credit card
Summary
A board member pressed administrators for answers after a $2,500 charge to the district credit card to engage a Florida firm to set up a proposed education foundation; administrators said the fee was for vendor Brightbridge and was charged expecting future reimbursement from foundation fundraising.
At the March board meeting, a board member raised a formal concern about a $2,500 charge the administration placed on a district credit card to hire an outside firm to help establish a new foundation. The board member said he could not find the expenditure in the district books and called the matter "a mystery," urging an investigation and full-board review.
An administrator responded that the district engaged Brightbridge, a Florida company, to assist in setting up the proposed foundation, and that the $2,500 fee was charged to the district credit card with the expectation that once the foundation raises funds, the district would be reimbursed. The administrator said the audit and finance committee had discussed the matter and that there had been a misunderstanding about whether committee discussion constituted authorization to proceed.
The board member who raised the concern (who asked for the review) said committee consensus is not a substitute for a board vote on expenditures and asked for legal review and transparent accounting of the charge and any related transactions. Administration said it would meet with the board president and schedule a full discussion for the board to review documentation.
Why it matters: the item touched on board oversight and procurement practice. Board members noted procedures for credit-card usage and thresholds for discretionary spending; one board member requested the credit-card log and statement be included in oversight materials going forward. Administrators said a portion of the proposed foundation's work was intended to create a vehicle to accept donations to support student opportunities but agreed to pause further work until the board reviews and provides direction.
Status: Board members requested follow-up; administration said a meeting would be scheduled to provide documentation. The board recorded the dispute publicly and asked the administration to bring records and legal guidance to the next board discussion.
Representative quotes: "I can't find it in any of the books… $2,500 is missing," said a board member urging a review. "We engaged with a company in Florida called Brightbridge that assisted us in setting up the foundation, and their fee for the assistance was $2,500," said an administrator.
