Lake Geneva School’s travel expenses may be eye opener for tax payers
By: Paul Schwartz
May 19, 2006
Lake Geneva taxpayers paid more than $5800 per month in employee travel expenditures for the Lake Geneva School District for the 04’-05’ school year, which included a $4600 tab for teachers to attend a conference for DECA—an association for marketing students.
According a district expenditure statement that covered employee travel expenses for the 2004-2005 school year, the district spent more than $72, 000 in district-wide employee travel expenses, including:
- A $5200 bill for expenses at a DECA conference in March 2005. The expenses “most likely paid for teachers to go chaperone the trip”, according to Financial Assistant, Sue Dammeir. Wages are excluded from conference reimbursements such as the DECA bill, only allowing for “meals and travel” which included air travel if needed, said Dammeir.
- $2200 to a Hilton Hotel
- $186 to Ho-Chunk Casino
While the school district came under budget for the school year, the voter’s of Lake Geneva will be asked to approve a $19 million addition for Badger High School ($12million) and Star Center Elementary School ($7 million) on the September ballot.
Bret Strong, of the Citizens for a Responsible Government (CRG)-Walworth affiliate, has investigated government spending in Walworth County. Strong was not surprised by the Lake Geneva School District’s spending figures.
“I wouldn’t doubt it a bit if questionable spending was discovered in Lake Geneva,” said Strong. “I don’t think the referendum will pass when the voters find out that we’ll pay an additional $30 million for a non-mandated expansion to the Lakeland School.”
Additional records from the expense report showed payments to WASBO, The Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials. Listed on the WASBO website are links that talk about the School Administrator’s Alliance (SAA) advocacy group. The SAA is a political advocacy group for education lobbying.
“I’m not incredibly familiar with the SAA,” Strong added. “…but if they are advocating educational support and have supported a specific political candidate’s decision, I don’t think that tax payers should have to pay for WASBO.”
Lisa Seiser, editor of the Lake Geneva Regional News, did a story on the referendum in March of this year.
“I have not found anything out of the ordinary about the district’s spending or budgets,” said Seiser via email. “If anything, they are as tight as can be.”
Seiser said that the district analyzes everything and find the lowest goods and services. The only questions for here fell in the area of employee pay.
”In my eyes, there are always questions about personnel, with a great number
of high paid administrators,” said Seiser. “But probably nothing different than other
district.”
John Roth, the business manager for the Lake Geneva Area schools, is said to be a “money guru” by some. However, when asked about the unusual expenses in question, Roth became “confused” about a Open Records request, of which he is the Legal Custodian for.
Sue Dammeir, who is also Roth’s secretary, said that Roth was not around to be interview during two attempts at contacting his office.
With school expansions being asked for throughout the county, Bret Strong remained worried about the tax levy.
“The question is not that they are staying under budget; but are they spending in a way that they don’t need the budget that they have?” said Strong.
The referendum for the Lake Geneva Schools addition will be asked in the fall ballot, on September 12, 2006.