by Micki Nellis

February 23 - The Texas Education Agency began an onsite audit of Cleburne ISD's spending February 12 as a direct result of citizen involvement. TEA will return for more investigation February 26, according to TEA sources.

Over a year ago members of Access Cleburne began making open records requests about school spending. By late summer researcher Harold Gentry felt he had documented enough questionable expenditures to warrant contacting the Texas Education Agency. Most of the original documents are posted at http://www.CleburnePolitics.com

In September the TEA decided that Harold's work had uncovered enough that they needed to start their own investigation on two levels. One department began an investigation of CISD spending of state funds. Another department began an investigation of CISD spending of federal funds. TEA found enough questionable expenditures that they escalated the investigation to an onsite audit.

As further background, many students do not even have textbooks supplied by the school. In many classes, the students are asked to bring a ream of copy paper. Teachers make copies of their assignments in lieu of students having their own textbook. Yet while students do not have textbooks, irresponsible spending seems rampant.

Several items have raised red flags:

Cleburne ISD has paid $30,000 per year for at least the last three years to the Cleburne Economic Development Foundation. CEDF is a sub corporation of the City of Cleburne . Perhaps by coincidence that amount is enough to pay half of CEDF director Jerry Cash's salary each year. This money was paid out of local tax funds.

A few of the inappropriate expenditures include:

A $9,800 retreat was paid for with Title 1 Federal Funds. Administrators went to Rough Creek Ranch in Glen Rose, just 23 miles from Cleburne , staying just 21 hours. The CISD has more than adequate facilities for holding meetings at the Administration building or the auditorium at the High School. Title I Federal Funds are meant to be spent on the district's neediest children. Harold Gentry asks “How can $9,800 spent on an executive resort and retreat, including skeet shooting, be money well spent on the district's neediest children? But it doesn't end there.”

$8,000 was spent for two retreats to Garrett Creek Ranch North of Fort Worth.

An unknown amount spent for a retreat at White Bluff in Whitney. Open Records requests for this expenditure were not fully answered. A trip for two to a Mexico resort was paid for by Cleburne ISD. The two have never been employed by Cleburne ISD. This was under the guise of a “ Sister City ” plan, but the overnight stay was at a well-known posh resort in Mexico . A $908.61 dinner at Ruth Chris Steak House in San Antonio for School Board members and their spouses. (Rules strictly prohibit paying spouses' expenses.) A copy of this restaurant receipt is posted at www.CleburnePolitics.com . Also, there was a second meal for $660 at the same restaurant.

CISD administrators and school board consistently go over the state recommended amounts for lodging and meals.

Even the newly elected school board, who should be well aware of public scrutiny, went over the $85 state recommendations for lodging. Board Members spent $179 each for rooms at the Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio , plus paid $20 for "mandatory" valet parking. When called to task for this, one Board Member responded that the reservations are made by a San Jose, California company and they have no say in where they stay. A call by Harold Gentry to Housing Convention Management revealed that the Board does not have to use them to book rooms. Our suggestion is that they make their own reservations or use a local travel agency. A call to San Antonio revealed several lodging choices within the state guidelines.

These are just a few examples of how the Cleburne ISD is spending taxpayer dollars and state and federal funds.