Expenses target of School Board candidate

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Thursday, July 22, 2004 | 11:08 a.m.

It's become a regular occurrence at Clark County School Board meetings -- Ryan Devins, one of three candidates challenging incumbent member Denise Brodsky, uses his allotted three minutes of public comment to criticize the spending habits of district officials.

Tonight will be no different, as Devins takes aim at travel expenses incurred by School Board members, as well as Superintendent Carlos Garcia and Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Agustin Orci.

But what Devins calls "outlandish spending," School Board members defend as reasonable costs associated with attending necessary seminars, workshops and conferences.

As evidence, Devins points to expense reports for six of the seven School Board members for the past two years. The seventh member, President Susan Brager-Wellman, did not travel during that period on behalf of the board and submitted no claims for reimbursement.

"My job is really to be here," said Brager-Wellman, who is in her second straight year as board president.

To Devins, sending three School Board members to New Orleans in April of 2002 for a National Association of School Boards conference -- total bill: $7,508.78 -- was excessive. But what grates on him the most, Devins said, is that Brodsky's expenses far outpaced those of her board colleagues on that trip.

Brodsky stayed six nights at the Marriott at Canal Street at a cost of $1,757. Larry Mason was also in New Orleans for six nights, at the Riverside Hilton for $1,146. And Shirley Barber spent four nights at the Courtyard by Marriott, spending $704.

"They're all on the same trip -- why is her (Brodsky's) hotel so much more expensive?" Devins asked. "Are these expenses really necessary? This is a pattern of outlandish spending. We have kids who can't pass the proficiency test, kids going without breakfast and textbooks. It's ridiculous."

Brodsky's expense report also shows that she paid for her own long distance calls ($59.62) and room service ($35.11).

The School Board's policy regarding travel is aligned with state statutes regarding reimbursements for public boards. The district's budget each year is divided equally among the seven members and no one member may exceed her share, according to School Board Global Policy 18.

As for the superintendent, in his contract he "is encouraged to be aggressively visible in the schools and the community," and he may spend up to $6,000 annually toward that goal. He is also allowed up to $8,000 a year for "reasonable costs associated with professional dues, attendance at local, state and national school-related professional meetings."

In 2003, Garcia's travel expenses totaled about $6,225. From June 2001 to March of this year, Orci listed about $6,560 in travel-related expenses.

This year each School Board member is allowed up to $7,000 in travel expenses, according to district officials. Some costs are covered by professional development grants. The School Board may also approve extra travel funds for a member provided the request is made in advance, according to the district's policy.

Brodsky, who will face Frank Albano, Les Pierres Streater as well as Devins on the November ballot for the District E seat, said travel is a necessary part of the job, not a perk.

"I wonder if Mr. Devins would take advantage of professional development opportunities if he were on the School Board," Brodsky said. "These kinds of opportunities are so valuable, the exchange of ideas and the training we receive. I don't think the public would want uninformed individuals making the kinds of decisions we have to make."

When asked about the New Orleans trip, Brodsky said she arrived early because she served on the steering committee of the Council of Urban Boards of Education, which had meetings and events scheduled before the main convention.

As for the choice of hotel, Brodsky said the School Board office is typically provided with a list of available lodging by the conference organizers and then makes arrangements for each member. There isn't always room for all members to stay in the same place, Brodsky said.

"You're talking about thousands of school board members coming from across the country," Brodsky said.

Carole Villardo, executive director of the Nevada Taxpayers Association, said reviewing expense reports for officials of public agencies is an important component of accountability. But it's also critical to keep those reports in context, Villardo said.

If a public board's members are satisfying the requirements of their own travel policy and the public still believes the expenses are excessive, it may be time to revisit the rules, Villardo said.

"If expenses start getting up into high numbers the question is what percentage is that of the total budget and what the other needs of the organization are," Villardo said. "You can't just pull out a hotel bill and say, 'That's too much.' These things have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis."

The School Board's $49,000 annual travel allowance accounts for less than a penny of every $100 in the district's $1.6 billion operating budget.

Serving on a convention's executive committee would explain a lengthier hotel stay, said Villardo, who has not reviewed the School Board's reports. And it may not be excessive to have three members of a seven-person board attend one conference, Villardo said.

"Conferences tend to serve a very good purpose. There are usually breakout sessions and each member attends a different one," Villardo said. "If members are coming back and sharing their experiences with a written or oral report, that can be valuable."

A review of Garcia's travel expenses going back to his hire date in 2000 shows numerous trips to Carson City, national symposiums and conferences. For the most part Garcia declined to use the district's $27-per-day food allowance, paying for his own meals as he went. He also picked up the tab for several of his hotel stays.

Garcia said Wednesday on the occasions that his wife joins him on trips he pays for their shared lodging, as well as her plane ticket and any other costs.

Brodsky said it made sense that Garcia would turn down some of the allocations that School Board members accept.

"He makes more than $200,000 a year -- we make $80 a meeting," Brodsky said.

Devins filed a complaint in June with the state ethics commission, focusing on the purchase of a new SUV Ford Explorer XL for the superintendent's use. The vehicle's 4-wheel drive, CD changer and adjustable memory pedals were listed on a separate invoice as part of a $7,000 options package. District officials defended the purchase, saying the $30,000 price tag was a good deal and that the superintendent needed 4-wheel drive in order to access school construction sites.