By Will Mueller
Over an 18-month period, top Waukesha School District administrators spent $3,747 on food with taxpayer funded credit cards, but a lack of organization by the district made it nearly impossible to calculate the total amount of district expenses for travel, food and other spending.
When asked how much district expenses run annually, Waukesha Superintendent David Schmidt replied, “No idea.”
He also said the district has no written policy on what expenses are permitted. A Frontpage Milwaukee investigation narrowed an open records request to district credit card receipts.
While all expense records were not accounted for, the credit card statements may paint a picture of what they look like. Some charges on the cards included restaurant visits, newspaper subscriptions, a golf club, breathalyzers and cell phones.
Schmidt said a district credit card holder can charge anything directly related to his or her job, but it is on the “honor system.” There is no written expense policy. He said, “There is a degree of trust here, if I don't trust someone, they won't have a card.”
Waukesha Taxpayers League President Christine Lufter said Schmidt should have a good idea of what the district is spending. “Credit cards should be very limited in use,” Lufter said. She said the Taxpayers League has had trouble getting records from the district as well.
Schmidt defended what he calls “snack breaks” for administrative and client meetings. The district often orders food from Rose Subs or the Pizza Hut in Waukesha. He said that the credit cards are also used to meet clients or lawyers for business lunches, and that the district occasionally purchases snacks for large meetings.
In March 2005, the district charged $198.61 to local restaurants such as Rose Subs on Main St. and El Ranchito on S. Grand Ave.
A regular lunch meeting occurs once or twice a month between four directors; Bob Butchholtz, Heidi Laabs, Paul Roberts and Director of Student Services James Haessly.
Haessly said it looks like they are occupying a portion of the restaurant when they go out, and it is usually for a two hour block so no one can interrupt them. He said between three of them, they supervise all of the schools so they do lunch. Haessly said, “We have never felt one ounce of guilt about that.”
The four directors usually eat at Christina's, Calypso or Sunset Family Restaurant because they are close to the district offices, and the group usually spends less than $30 total. Haessly said he has a BLT and another person had a tuna sandwich. “We're not eating steak,” Haessly said. He usually puts the food on his district credit card but said if he forgot the card they would pay for it themselves.
Meetings are, “less productive without food,” said Schmidt. “We have snack breaks for the students during the day.”
Lufter does not feel food for meetings is an acceptable expenditure. “Snacks, if needed or desired,” she said, “should be purchased by those who want to eat them.” She added that it is alright to provide water and coffee.
Haessly said that meeting attendees are entitled to an uninterrupted lunch break which would be at the time of these lunch meetings. He said buying lunch for everyone is better for moral and is more economical.