Some of the more than 35 people attending the Nov. 9 meeting of the Patrick County School Board called for the school board to conduct a comprehensive investigation after questioning the use of taxpayer funds.
Nancy Carlson, a history teacher at Patrick County High School, raised concerns about topics that ranged from personnel, restructuring and salaries (as reported on previous occasions), as well as the number of school officials attending conferences/retreats and associated costs, including hotel and meal expenses.
In her presentation on Thursday, Carlson said she used some of the information from records she requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
She alleged the school officials spent more than $28,000 on retreats and associated expenses, such as speakers. Carlson also questioned why retreats are now held out of the county when in previous years, they were held in the county in a private home.
Carlson also alleged school board members “virtually doubled the amount of money spent attending conferences from the 15/16 to 16/17 school years,” and spending more than $10,500 in Fiscal 2016-17.
Carlson said records she received showed three school board members attended a July conference in Richmond: Ronnie Terry, chairman and of the Blue Ridge District; Kandy Burnett, of the Dan River District; and Annie Hylton, of the Peters Creek District.
Carlson asked why the three stayed at the Hilton Hotel for three nights at a cost of $162 per night “when there are much cheaper hotels in the area?”
Burnett said it is customary to stay at the hotel in which conferences are held.
Carlson also raised concerns about a July 17 receipt from the Bookbinder’s Seafood & Steakhouse restaurant in Richmond.
The receipt showed that two people were served three appetizers, two entrees, desserts and sodas for a total cost of $224.43, including the $38 gratuity, Carlson said.
“Is there any policy or guideline about the amount of money spent on conferences, hotels and restaurants … Did you not experience any guilt doing this, knowing how poor Patrick County is,” Carlson asked.
Burnett said she did not feel guilty for a number of reasons. She said she also is a taxpayer in Patrick County, and receives a small stipend for her work as a school board member.
“Daily, I work morning, noon and night, talking to school board members, the superintendent, parents” and others in the community, Burnett said after the meeting. “So if we go to a conference and I eat, I have no guilt because I am a taxpayer too. I pay real estate taxes on 20 acres of land, plus personal property taxes. If I want to have a steak for dinner, I don’t have to ask anybody,” Burnett said.
Burnett said like many in the county, she and other board members, administrative and other staff “want to see our students succeed, and we are. We are now 17th in the state. We are fully accredited. Our kids are graduating and going to college, and we hope they may come back” to Patrick County afterwards.
But, “what does Patrick County have to offer my children, your children or their children,” considering the closure of the Pioneer Community Hospital of Patrick and the recent announcement that Shaw Flooring in Stuart will close at the end of the year, she asked.
“People are speaking to the wrong board. They need to be speaking to the Board of Supervisors because we have no economic development, no economic growth happening in Patrick County,” Burnett said.
During the meeting, Burnett said it is not uncommon for her to split an entrée with Hylton when the two travel together.
Burnett said that when attending conferences and meetings, etc., school board members also eat at restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Subway, Hardee’s, McDonalds and even gas stations.
She said Carlson also had receipts from those meals as well, “but that’s not the receipt you want to talk about tonight.” Instead, Burnett said Carlson wanted to focus on the July 17 receipt.
Noting that she volunteers in several capacities in the community, and has served the county for many years, Hylton said she also pays “as much tax as anyone else, and that’s probably the only meal I had that day. I don’t feel guilty.”
Lisa Goins, who attended the meeting, said the money spent on the meal could have been used to help the community, such as to fill backpacks with food. The backpacks are sent home with students to ensure students have food to eat on weekends.
“I can and do fill backpacks too,” Hylton said, and explained a backpack project with the library is among her volunteer activities, “and I will continue to do my share as a citizen of Patrick County, just as anyone else. But so everyone in Patrick County will know, from the top to the bottom, I do not feel guilty” for eating at a school board function, she said.
Terry said all three members dined together, and he did not know why only two guests were listed on the receipt.
For three people, the cost of the meal was nearly $56 per person, minus the gratuity and taxes.
Carlson also recommended the board develop and adhere to specific guidelines for handling of personnel matters; procedures governing salary increases that would include school board members to approve of all increases; and develop budgetary limits and guidelines to govern conference/retreat expenses for all employees.
Carlson said she plans to address the school board again at the December 14 school board meeting. The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m.
