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Board hears that food-service invoices were processed without blanket POs; administration audits payments
Summary
During the June 22 meeting district staff disclosed that longstanding procurement protocols for blanket purchase orders were not followed in the food-service department, producing unpaid or out-of-sequence invoices from major vendors. Administration said it is auditing records and working to pay vendors.
Board members pressed district finance staff on a backlog of food-service invoices on June 22 after the fiscal officer's certificate was presented for approval.
Dr. Nehemiah Casey, asked to explain the invoices, told the board that "we recently became aware that certain protocols that have been put in place ... didn't follow that process" and that a prior employee in the food-service/business team did not establish recurring blanket purchase orders for recurring vendors. He said that, as a result, invoices from the district's largest vendor, Gordon Food Service (GFS), as well as Borden (milk) and Serna & Sons (fresh produce), were submitted without a blanket PO and required post hoc processing.
Board members queried how long the problem persisted; one member noted invoices dating back to February and asked whether the issue was limited to a single building or affected the entire district. Dr. Casey said the invoices covered districtwide food-service purchases and that staff were continuing to "source" the records, identify unpaid invoices and make sure vendors were paid. He said the district instituted a blanket PO after discovering the invoices.
Board members said the issue was serious because it raises questions about whether funds were properly certified before payment; the board approved the fiscal officer's certificate by roll call while requesting follow-up. Administration committed to continuing the records review and to report back with details about the number and cost of affected invoices and corrective steps.
No dollar total was provided on the record; administration said additional invoices were likely to surface as the audit proceeds.
