Tuesday, July 23, 2013

School board travel tab rising

Travel costs for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board are rising,  in part because members want to have a stronger voice in national policy.

The board allots $5,150 a year for the chairman to travel and $3,100 for each of the other eight members,  a total of $29,950 a year.  For the last couple of years they spent far less -- $17,529 in 2011-12 and $12,500 the year before.

Ellis-Stewart
For 2012-13,  the board spent $24,024.  At-large member Ericka Ellis-Stewart,  who was board chair for the first half of the budget year,  spent just over $7,200,  the largest amount  (read the summary for all members here).  Obviously that's more than her normal allotment,  even figuring half a year at the higher rate.  Current Chairman Mary McCray says the board agreed to cover her travel costs for Council of Urban Boards of Education sessions when the board endorsed her appointment to the CUBE steering committee.  The steering committee meets five times a year at locations around the country,  and members are required to attend four of those meetings,  McCray said. The board added $5,000 to Ellis-Stewart's travel budget for that purpose.

This month,  Ellis-Stewart went to a CUBE summer issues seminar in Seattle at a cost of about $1,870.  She was one of three members,  along with McCray and Joyce Waddell,  who went to the National School Boards Association annual conference in San Diego,  at a cost of more than $2,000 each.  She also spent almost $1,200 on an NSBA Federal Relations Network conference in Washington, D.C., and about the same on a trip to Indianapolis for the Council of the Great City Schools fall conference.

Ellis-Stewart's role is part of the board's strategy for making their views known to local,  state and national lawmakers,  all of whom shape education policy and spending in CMS.  McCray,  a Democrat,  and Vice Chair Tim Morgan,  a Republican,  have spent a lot of energy lobbying the Republican-dominated state legislature and the Democratic-majority county commission.  Ellis-Stewart,  also a Democrat, was tapped to be the expert in national issues.

McCray was the second-largest spender,  with a 2012-13 tab just over $4,500.  Other than the San Diego conference,  that travel was in-state.  Morgan spent about $1,200,  all of it for in-state travel.

Waddell spent just over $4,000 on the San Diego trip and four in-state conferences,  including some of Richard McElrath's unspent allotment.

Eric Davis took the most expensive single trip,  spending almost $3,100 to join the Chamber of Commerce inter-city trip to New York City in October 2012.

Rhonda Lennon and Richard McElrath spent nothing on travel last year,  according to the CMS tally.

17 comments:

Wiley Coyote said...

Only one BOE member should go to these conferences and report back to the rest of the Board.

Anonymous said...

Priorities?
They act like they have unlimited funds.

Anonymous said...

this is reasonable spending....
all except the nyc trip. I was on that flight and our 'officials' clapped and cheered when the plane took off. Did I mention they were all wearing their credentials? Stay classy.

Anonymous said...

I think the spending is reasonable. I do question why Lennon and McElrath have used $0 of their allotted money. If I am not mistaken Lennon has never used any. How can you continue to provide valuable input as a member of the school board if you are not out there seeing how other districts are running things and what works for some and not others.

Anonymous said...

Why on earth would they take a trip when they have no idea what is going on at home? CMS has so many needs and these folks are taking tax payer paid vacations. Its a ridiculous misuse of tax payer money. Yet they want our county to give them more and a bond package on the table. No way sorry folks its impossible to pass the bonds. Until CMS becomes respectable in the community its not going to happen. They show no willingness to even begin to do that with vacations like described. Go up to Iredell County I am good with that $20- trip and learn from that success. Go over to the Mountains of NC and see the lowest cost district in the state with the highest achievement. We are not Seattle or NY or even San Diego. This is why the community wont listen Heath moves like this are unprofessional. Keith W. Hurley

Anonymous said...

I don't think you have to travel to be informed and up-to-date on education. 20 years ago maybe; but, not now.

Wiley Coyote said...

Anon 9:16

Have you noticed any grand changes in academics from ANY trip(s) taken?

At least Lennon and McElrath saved taxpayers about $10K.

Wiley Coyote said...

MOORESVILLE Four hundred educators from across the nation are in Mooresville today through Thursday to learn how to digitally convert their school systems

Here's a trip CMS can take and won't cost us anything.

Oh, wait.

Didn't we just have the head honchos take a trip to California to learn more about using technology to "design schools of choice,"??

You can't make this stuff up.

Anonymous said...

Treat teachers like rented mules.

New (1-5) teachers are leaving in DROVES.

CMS and BofE spend money like drunken sailors.

What problems?

Common Goal for a Common Core

Anonymous said...

Wiley- That Mooresville trip would cost $20- in gas , but I am good with that expense. I am sure its less than running around neighborhoods asking kids who have left CMS why they left. The trip to NY by Davis with the Chamber gang should be considered a campaign finance trip. Unless of course he takes no money from the members. Keith W. Hurley

Anonymous said...

Every time you look around another Chief is in the Air flying somewhere. The traveling done on this 5th floor is ridiculous!!

Anonymous said...

Ann, I sure hope they have the London trip documented in EES expense account. The one she had no idea who gave her the ticket yet she was on the tarmac. Time to come clean on that one. Their would be a fee even to cancel the trip.

Anonymous said...

I suggest an audit of HR and all the new people in charge. Unethical practices are being used to "encourage" veteran educators to retire early.

Anonymous said...

Just say "No Way!" to teaching in North Carolina.

Ann Doss Helms said...

4:23, there wasn't a fee because it was the airline, not Ellis-Stewart, who canceled.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry but are there really people that believe this school board and the other county and city officials act reasonably and in the best interest of developing a civil society? It is all show for them! It is show of their perceived superiority. I am sad the NC legislature has to wrap up so early as they are attempting to take the teeth out of the biased laws the democrats have put in place over the last 100 years.

This state is headed the path of Detroit. The spending crazy democrat days have to end. Everyone between the ages of 18 and 65 must be productive in this society. Must we do the same as England and refuse to pay anymore social services past the second child?

You addicts are disgusting!

Anonymous said...

must be getting a lot of northerners on the school board there used to big spending tabs trust on the tax payers. this better be nipped in the bud or it will be all over but the shouting a few years down the road...