COASTAL OBSERVER

The Georgetown County School District is changing its procurement card procedures following questions from concerned citizens. School board members said this week they welcome the changes.

“I don’t think that our P-card system is broken. I think it’s a little bent,” said Board Member Robert Cox.

The program is a streamlined payment system through Wells Fargo that the district adopted 15 years ago. Monthly statements of P-card expenditures are posted to the school district’s website, but until recently didn’t provide details about who was spending the money or what they were buying.

The district now provides the purchases organized by school or department. It plans to include the user’s name.

“It’s not just a few members that are concerned about these things, but it’s the board in its entirety,” Chairman Keith Moore said. “This is something we do take seriously as a board. It’s not just a couple of us who are going to get things straight around here.”

That was followed by audience applause at this week’s board meeting.

Superintendent Bethany Giles said the purpose was to have a public conversation about the matter that will continue to be refined. She said building public trust is important so taxpayers know that their money is used properly.

“It was a request from board members at the same time because there’s been heightened awareness of our practices,” Giles said. “We are following steps, but at the same time, we recognize we can improve.”

Lisa Johnson, the district’s chief finance officer, said there are 91 P-cards in the district. She said the district will use Tyler ERP as its management system. Each card has a $2,500 purchase limit, and each school or department has a cap of $10,000 or $25,000 depending on its size.

Board Member Fallon Bordner said the district is moving in the right direction.

“It can raise eyebrows,” Bordner said of the P-card spending. “Cleaning this up, turning it digital, making it easier to access, is bringing our county, our school district, into the modern era that people expect.”

Bill Chaplin, a Pawleys Plantation resident who has raised questions about the P-card spending, said he was pleased to see the board’s interest.

“I’m proud of a few board members, stepping up and taking an interest in the P-card system,” he said. “They’re finding out now how much authority they do have.”

Chaplin shared his concerns with the county GOP club last month, and board members Scott DuBose and Eileen Johnson met with Giles about the P-cards.

After the presentation, Chaplin said he never suspected fraud, but he still has questions about expenditures like food and travel. “I want to know who goes on these trips,” he said.

Board Member Patti Hammel said funds have not been misused because of the internal controls in place.

Some spending is tied to student fundraising, Giles said. Each school has an account for things such as pupil activities.

“That money is more often than not, fund-raised money,” she said.