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Friday, August 29, 2014

Fox C-6's 2010-2011 VISA Card Statements Posted for Review

Fox C-6's VISA Card Statements for the 2010-2011 school year have been posted online for review. The VISA card statements file has been updated to include the October 2010 VISA Card Statement that was missing from the original set of statements.

Below I have listed most but not all of the charges for former Fox C-6 Superintendent Dianne Brown (Critchlow), Assistant Superintendent Dan Baker, Assistant Superintendent Todd Scott and superintendent secretary and school board secretary Debby Davis.

It will definitely be interesting to see how some of these charges are explained to the Fox C-6 Board of Education and the public. The most problematic issue is the fact that school district policy states that school district credit cards are limited to purchasing "Instructional Materials".

So, even if superintendents were supplied with credit cards, they were only supposed to be using them to purchase "Instructional Materials" and that did not happen.

According to board policy, district employees are required to provide receipts in order to get reimbursed for Professional Development. So, the charges for meals should have been purchased using their own personal credit cards and they should have been reimbursed only for those expenses that met district policies.

Since superintendents had been supplied with school district credit cards they were circumventing the checks and balances portion of the reimbursement process.

In reviewing the last several years of credit card statements, there were only a few individuals that had district credit cards that weren't using them per school district policy.

Below are most of the charges for those individuals that had school district credit cards and used them to purchase food at restaurants, gas stations and car washes. The charges were from the 2010-2011 VISA Card Statements which can be downloaded at the bottom of the page to see all of the charges.

It is truly amazing how many times our Central Office administrators purchased food or meals using their district credit cards. Based on some of the names of the restaurants frequented, there is a very good likelihood that some alcohol may have been purchased using district credit cards. Fox C-6 policies state that the district WILL NOT pay for alcohol.

I am looking forward to seeing how the school board handles the blatant violations of school district policy regarding credit card usage. All Fox C-6 superintendents had their credit cards taken away from them in June 2014. However, that doesn't resolve the problem of not using them properly in the first place.


Dianne Brown (Critchlow) - Former Superintendent
  • 06/25/2010 -  $40.65 - DOUG'S BURGER BAR/COWBOY - Imperial, MO
  • 07/15/2010 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 07/17/2010 -  $41.69 - SHELL OIL - Warrensburg, MO
  • 07/19/2010 -  $32.48 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 07/27/2010 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 08/09/2010 -  $30.64 - LA PACHANGA - Arnold, MO
  • 08/09/2010 -  $25.03 - LA PACHANGA - Arnold, MO
  • 08/14/2010 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 08/17/2010 -  $59.49 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 09/01/2010 -  $59.60 - APPLEBEES - Arnold, MO
  • 09/08/2010 - $164.32 - DOUG'S BURGER BAR/COWBOY - Imperial, MO
  • 09/08/2010 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 09/08/2010 - $232.46 - AT&T - Des Peres, MO
  • 09/08/2010 -   $70.96 - APPLE STORE - Des Peres, MO
  • 09/23/2010 - $108.18 - KFC OF ARNOLD - Arnold, MO
  • 09/27/2010 -   $20.27 - QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL - Arnold, MO
  • 09/30/2010 -   $16.26 - SUBWAY - Hillsboro, MO
  • 10/01/2010 -   $56.69 - PETROMART 26 - St. Louis, MO
  • 10/01/2010 -   $38.43 - FRANKIE GIANINO'S - Imperial, MO
  • 10/12/2010 -   $28.64 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 10/20/2010 -   $48.77 - BARNHART (gas?) - Barnhart, MO
  • 10/20/2010 - $105.95 - POMODOROS - Arnold, MO
  • 10/21/2010 - $105.95 - POMODOROS - Arnold, MO
  • 10/24/2010 -   $81.23 - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 10/25/2010 - $122.77 - OFFICE DEPOT - Arnold, MO
  • 10/26/2010 -  $87.45 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 10/27/2010 -  $74.64 - SUBWAY - Arnold, MO
  • 10/27/2010 - ($27.07) - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 10/27/2010 - ($77.64) - OFFICE DEPOT - Arnold, MO
  • 10/27/2010 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 10/28/2010 - $100.00 - CICIS PIZZA - Arnold, MO
  • 10/28/2010 -  $37.85 - CHEROKEE PASS - Fredericktown, MO
  • 10/28/2010 -  $13.10 - WALGREENS - Arnold, MO
  • 11/01/2010 -  $53.95 - BRISTOL #087 - Creve Coeur, MO
  • 11/03/2010 -  $18.66 - DENNY'S - Arnold, MO
  • 11/05/2010 -  $44.33 - PETROMART 26 - St. Louis, MO
  • 11/05/2010 - $115.90 - SHOP'N SAVE - Arnold, MO
  • 11/10/2010 -   $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 11/12/2010 -  $36.41 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 11/27/2010 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 12/08/2010 - $147.94 - DOUBLE DUECE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 12/09/2010 -  $33.29 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 12/19/2010 -  $45.23 - MPC 5 - Arnold, MO
  • 12/26/2010 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 01/04/2011 -  $59.05 - PETROMART 26 - St. Louis, MO
  • 01/13/2011 -  $60.62 - PETROMART 26 - Imperial, MO
  • 01/13/2011 - $189.52 - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 01/19/2011 - $128.69 - DOUBLE DUECE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 01/21/2011 -  $34.18 - CICIS PIZZA - Arnold, MO
  • 01/23/2011 - $246.88 - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 01/24/2011 -  $47.43 - QT 631 - Arnold, MO
  • 01/25/2011 - $157.68 - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 01/25/2011 - ($138.58) - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 01/25/2011 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 01/28/2011 - $150.40 - SUNNY STREET CAFE ARNOLD - Arnold, MO
  • 01/30/2011 -  $58.37 - QT 629 - St. Louis, MO
  • 01/31/2011 -  $48.30 - KFC OF ARNOLD - Arnold, MO
  • 02/03/2011 -  $22.86 - GARVEY'S GRILL - Mehlville, MO
  • 02/07/2011 -  $10.13 - SUNNY STREET CAFE ARNOLD - Arnold, MO
  • 02/08/2011 -  $27.88 - SHELL OIL - Kingdom City, MO
  • 02/15/2011 -  $12.64 - CECIL WHITAKERS PIZZA
  • 02/21/2011 -  $60.71 - PETROMART 26 - St. Louis, MO
  • 02/22/2011 -  $25.32 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 02/25/2011 -  $37.03 - QT 695 - Bethalto, IL
  • 02/26/2011 -   $7.69 - STARBUCKS - Chicago, IL
  • 02/26/2011 -  $45.57 - HOWL AT THE MOON #058 - Chicago, IL
  • 02/27/2011 -   $9.66 - STARBUCKS - Chicago, IL
  • 02/27/2011 -  $64.60 - SHELL OIL - Diamond, IL
  • 02/28/2011 -   $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 03/02/2011 - $150.82 - HOTELS.COM
  • 03/04/2011 -  $55.92 - WENTZVILLE BP - Wentzville, MO
  • 03/04/2011 -  $43.13 - MARSHALL FIREWORKS (Gas Station) - Marshall, MO
  • 03/04/2011 -  $37.69 - ON THE BORDER MEXICAN GRILL - Independence, MO
  • 03/06/2011 -  $57.70 - PETROMART 26 - St. Louis, MO
  • 03/06/2011 -  $31.76 - CASEYS GENERAL STORE - Sweet Springs, MO
  • 03/09/2011 - $136.20 - DOUBLE DUECE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 03/11/2011 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 03/18/2011 -  $49.97 - 7-ELEVEN - St. Louis, MO
  • 03/18/2011 -  $30.35 - OASIS TRUCK STOP - Richland, MO
  • 03/19/2011 -  $26.50 - J.J. TWIG'S PIZZA & PUB - Lake Ozark, MO
  • 03/20/2011 -  $32.62 - BOOT LEGGERS 4 - Osage Beach, MO
  • 03/22/2011 -  $55.93 - TEMP STOP - Eldon, MO
  • 03/22/2011 -  $13.14 - TEMP STOP - Eldon, MO
  • 03/22/2011 -  $48.01 - EXXON MOBIL - Imperial, MO
  • 03/23/2011 -   $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 03/28/2011 -  $19.64 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 04/01/2011 -  $64.02 - PETROMART 73 - Valley Park, MO
  • 04/01/2011 -  $52.62 - SUBWAY - Fenton, MO
  • 04/02/2011 - $138.74 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 04/04/2011 -  $23.82 - HOBBY LOBBY - Arnold, MO
  • 04/10/2011 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 04/13/2011 - $139.41 - DOUBLE DUECE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 04/13/2011 -  $16.24 - HOBBY LOBBY - Arnold, MO
  • 04/20/2011 -  $20.83 - QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL - Arnold, MO
  • 04/21/2011 -  $59.34 - PETROMART 33 - Fenton, MO
  • 04/28/2011 -  $55.52 - QT 629 - St. Louis, MO
  • 05/04/2011 -  $72.03 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 05/06/2011 - $116.15 - POMODOROS - Arnold, MO
  • 05/07/2011 -  $46.51 - MR GOODCENTS - Arnold, MO
  • 05/16/2011 -  $40.12 - ARNOLD PLAZA - Arnold, MO
  • 05/18/2011 -   $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 06/02/2011 -  $75.00 - EXPRESS MART - Imperial, MO
  • 06/05/2011 -  $53.56 - TARGET - Arnold, MO
  • 06/06/2011 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 06/07/2011 - $157.15 - DICK'S CLOTHING & SPORTING GOODS - Des Peres, MO
  • 06/09/2011 -  $24.20 - CHINA WOK - Imperial, MO
  • 06/12/2011 -  $63.10 - UGAS P66 - Arnold, MO
  • 06/13/2011 -  $83.42 - TJ MAXX in Fenton, MO
  • 06/16/2011 -  $10.33 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO

Dan Baker - Assistant Superintendent
  • 06/24/2010 - $144.98 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 06/28/2010 -  $50.00 - FRANKIE GIANINO'S - Imperial, MO
  • 06/30/2010 -  $76.00 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 07/01/2010 -  $96.00 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 07/13/2010 -  $64.99 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 07/31/2010 -  $33.00 - SHORTY PANTS MARINA - Osage Beach, MO
  • 07/31/2010 -  $90.00 - SHORTY PANTS MARINA - Osage Beach, MO
  • 08/01/2010 -  $46.00 - LIL RIZZOS FACTORY OUTLET, Osage Beach, MO
  • 08/01/2010 -  $23.57 - ST LOUIS BREAD #2894 - Osage Beach, MO
  • 08/02/2010 -  $25.00 - CHICAGO BROTHER'S PIZZA - Osage Beach, MO
  • 08/03/2010 -  $25.00 - MEXICALI BLUES - Osage Beach, MO
  • 08/03/2010 - $570.00 - TAN-TARA-RESORT - Osage Beach, MO
  • 09/23/2010 -  $70.00 - 54TH STREET BAR AND GRILLE - Arnold, MO
  • 09/24/2010 -  $24.07 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 09/28/2010 -  $21.38 - BELLACINO'S PIZZA AND GRINDERS - Arnold, MO
  • 09/28/2010 -  $28.00 - BLARNEYSTONE SPORT BAR - St. Louis, MO
  • 09/29/2010 -  $13.57 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 10/14/2010 -  $54.00 - APPLEBEES - Arnold, MO
  • 11/08/2010 -  $21.84 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 11/10/2010 -  $34.84 - BELLACINO'S PIZZA AND GRINDERS - Arnold, MO
  • 11/22/2010 -  $44.00 - BANDANA'S BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 12/03/2010 -  $15.81 - SUBWAY - Arnold, MO
  • 02/15/2011 - $726.28 - HOTELS.COM
  • 02/26/2011 -  $75.00 - TGI FRIDAYS - Chicago, IL
  • 02/27/2011 -  $92.00 - HARD ROCK HOTEL - Chicago, IL
  • 02/27/2011 -  $83.00 - GIORDANO'S PIZZA ON RUSH STREET - Chicago, IL
  • 03/03/2011 -  $74.71 - RED LOBSTER - St. Louis, MO
  • 03/04/2011 -  $20.63 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 03/05/2011 -  $44.80 - KRISPY KREME DOUGHNUTS - St. Louis, MO
  • 03/05/2011 -  $70.00 - DOMINO'S PIZZA
  • 03/18/2011 -  $40.00 - 31 FASTLANE - Jonesburg, MO
  • 03/18/2011 -  $33.00 - PETRO #318 KINGDOM CITY - Kingdom City, MO
  • 03/19/2011 -  $63.00 - PICKLED PETE'S SPORTS BAR & GRILL - Osage Beach, MO
  • 03/20/2011 -  $30.00 - PIZZA HUT - Lake Osage, MO
  • 03/20/2011 -  $41.16 - ST LOUIS BREAD #2894 - Osage Beach, MO
  • 03/21/2011 -  $60.00 - SHORTY PANTS MARINA - Osage Beach, MO
  • 03/22/2011 -  $75.00 - 66 FASTLANE - Holts Summit, MO
  • 03/22/2011 -  $35.00 - DENNY'S RESTAURANTS - Lake Ozark, MO
  • 04/04/2011 - $346.46 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 04/07/2011 - $100.00 - STL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - St. Louis, MO
  • 04/14/2011 -  $9.74 - IMO'S - Arnold, MO
  • 05/09/2011 -  $15.27 - SUBWAY - Arnold, MO
  • 05/10/2011 -  $57.12 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 05/20/2011 -  $23.67 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 05/23/2011 -  $15.83 - JIMMY JOHN'S - Arnold, MO
  • 06/02/2011 - $488.00 - COOPERATING SCHOOL DISTRICT - St. Louis, MO


Todd Scott - Assistant Superintendent
  • 06/23/2010 -  $20.81 - BLARNEYSTONE SPORT BAR - St. Louis, MO
  • 07/12/2010 -  $15.02 - PIZZA HUT - Osage Beach, MO
  • 07/13/2010 -  $27.00 - OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE - Osage Beach, MO
  • 07/15/2010 -  $16.39 - TAN-TARA-RESORT - Osage Beach, MO
  • 08/09/2010 -  $28.48 - BLARNEYSTONE SPORT BAR - St. Louis, MO
  • 09/14/2010 -  $99.57- BANDANA'S BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 09/16/2010 -  $99.57- LLYWELYNS PUB - St. Charles, MO 
  • 09/22/2010 -  $20.15 - J.J. TWIG'S PIZZA & PUB - Lake Ozark, MO
  • 11/04/2010 -  $83.50 - POMODORS - Arnold, MO
  • 11/04/2010 -  $23.53 - BELLACINO'S PIZZA AND GRINDERS - Arnold, MO
  • 11/04/2010 -  $24.25 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 11/12/2010 -  $35.80 - STL SPORTS ZONE - Arnold, MO
  • 11/30/2010 -  $42.74 - SCHOTTZIES BAR & GRILL - St. Louis, MO
  • 12/14/2010 -  $37.80 - BANDANA'S BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 01/12/2011 -  $69.08 - BANDANA'S BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 01/21/2011 -  $85.61 - BANDANA'S BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 02/16/2011 -  $34.20 - RUMA'S DELI - Imperial, MO
  • 03/02/2011 -  $39.00 - STL SPORTS ZONE - Arnold, MO
  • 03/17/2011 -  $29.90 - FRANKIE GIANINO'S - Imperial, MO
  • 03/20/2011 - $308.99 - LODGE FOOD AND BEVERAGE - Lake Ozark, MO
  • 03/21/2011 -  $30.00 - IM TIREBITERS - Osage Beach, MO
  • 03/31/2011 -  $36.87 - BELLACINO'S PIZZA AND GRINDERS - Arnold, MO
  • 04/11/2011 -  $26.31 - BANDANA'S BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 04/27/2011 -  $16.77 - IMO'S PIZZA - Arnold, MO
  • 05/01/2011 -  $56.45 - TGI FRIDAY'S - Columbia, MO
  • 05/01/2011 -  $77.10 - TAN-TARA-RESORT - Osage Beach, MO
  • 05/02/2011 - $141.13 - OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE - Columbia, MO
  • 05/02/2011 -  $26.10 - HEIC RESTAURANTS - Columbia, MO
  • 05/03/2011 - $154.20 - TAN-TARA-RESORT - Osage Beach, MO
  • 05/03/2011 - $154.20 - TAN-TARA-RESORT - Osage Beach, MO (2nd charge)
  • 05/03/2011 - $178.88 - HOLIDAY INN - Columbia, MO
  • 05/03/2011 - $178.88 - HOLIDAY INN - Columbia, MO (2nd charge)
  • 05/03/2011 -  $31.02 - HEIC RESTAURANTS - Columbia, MO
  • 05/05/2011 -  $60.02 - 54TH STREET BAR & GRILL - Arnold, MO

Debby Davis - Superintendent and BOE Secretary
  • 08/11/2010 - $135.98 - DOUG'S BURGER BAR/COWBOY - Imperial, MO
  • 09/29/2010 - $105.03 - HOTELS.COM
  • 10/07/2010 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 10/20/2010 -  $29.01 - APPLEBEES - Arnold, MO
  • 10/20/2010 -  $29.42 - EL CAPORAL MEXICAN RESTAURANT - Camdenton, MO
  • 10/21/2010 -  $22.88 - DENNY'S RESTAURANT - Lake Ozark, MO
  • 10/22/2010 - $372.90 - LODGE OF FOUR SEASONS - Lake Ozark, MO
  • 11/16/2010 -  $65.11 - JILLY'S CAFE & STEAKHOUSE - High Ridge, MO
  • 01/14/2011 - $180.00 - ACT MOASBO SPRING CONFERENCE
  • 02/10/2011 -  $64.36 - BANDANAS BBQ - Arnold, MO
  • 02/16/2011 - $111.93 - DOUBLE DEUCE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 02/16/2011 -  $12.54 - DOUBLE DEUCE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 02/17/2011 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 03/31/2011 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 05/05/2011 -   $9.87 - LEES FAMOUS RECIPE - Arnold, MO
  • 05/07/2011 - $135.00 - MO SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION - Jefferson City, MO
  • 05/09/2011 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 05/09/2011 -  $39.90 - ELEPHANT BAR RESTAURANT - Des Peres, MO
  • 05/11/2011 - $108.76 - DOUBLE DEUCE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 05/11/2011 - $313.57 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 05/12/2011 -  $55.85 - MPC 5 - Arnold, MO
  • 05/12/2011 - $181.08 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 05/13/2011 -  $53.36 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 05/16/2011 -  $89.24 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 05/16/2011 -  $12.02 - PANERA BREAD - Arnold, MO
  • 05/16/2011 -    $8.00 - JEFFCO AUTO PRIDE CARWASH - Arnold, MO
  • 05/18/2011 -  $13.66 - OFFICE DEPOT - Arnold, MO
  • 05/18/2011 - $421.20 - CI SELECT (office workspace co.) - St. Louis, MO
  • 05/22/2011 -  $51.45 - PETROMART 12 - St. Louis, MO
  • 05/23/2011 - $215.05 - PAPPY'S SMOKEHOUSE - St. Louis, MO
  • 05/23/2011 -  $32.17 - WALGREENS - Arnold, MO
  • 05/26/2011 -  $26.93 - MCDONALD'S - Arnold, MO
  • 05/26/2011 -    $0.99 - APPLE ITUNES
  • 05/26/2011 - $171.60 - CI SELECT (office workspace co.) - St. Louis, MO
  • 06/07/2011 - $125.00 - MO SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION - Jefferson City, MO
  • 06/08/2011 - $113.01 - DOUBLE DEUCE SALOON - Imperial, MO
  • 06/08/2011 - $246.04 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 06/08/2011 - $424.74 - WALMART - Arnold, MO
  • 06/08/2011 -  $25.00 - AT&T DATA
  • 06/20/2011 -    $0.99 - APPLE ITUNES

MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES
  • 06/23/2010 - 19 charges for $440 or $390 to CHARACTER EDUCATION PARTNER in Washington DC. (Maybe these were for banners at each of the school?)
  • 07/19/2010 - Travel for Tim Crutchley and Kristen Pelster which appears to be related to Fox's Character Education Awards (St Louis - Denver - San Francisco - Chicago - St. Louis).

The school district credit card charges has really opened the eyes of the community as to how our taxpayer dollars were being spent by some Central Office Administrators.

Hopefully documentation hasn't been destroyed and State Auditor Tom Schweich and Fox CFO John Brazeal can recover ALL the monies that may have been spent improperly over the last 9 years.

Do all of the charges look like taxpayer dollars were spent "Conscientiously"?

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Fox C-6's Regulations and Rules on Professional Development Expense Reimbursement

Fox C-6 has had a policy on Professional Development Expense Reimbursement that was originally adopted in November 1998. That policy became effective July 1999. The policy was around for years before former superintendent Dianne Critchlow began her stint as superintendent in 2005.

After reviewing Fox's credit card statements, it's very clear that Central Office Administrators weren't following Fox's Policy/Regulation with respect to Airfare, Meal Allowance and Lodging limits.

Aren't they supposed to follow the same policies that everyone else is expected to follow?

What are the limits as documented in our District's Policies and Regulations?

Maximum Airfare Allowance Limits - $250

It might be difficult to fly to many places for less than $250. But, that IS the limit that is documented in Fox's current Policies and Regulations. Former superintendent Critchlow should have been reviewing district Policies and Regulations and revising them more often with the school board rather than violating them. She's been trying to revise district policies for years but never got that task accomplished. As you can see below, the reimbursement regulation hasn't been revised since 2005.

The $605 and $541 airfares for Dianne Critchlow, Jamie Critchlow, Dan Baker and Angie Baker for their trips in 2012 and 2013 far exceeded Fox's Maximum Airfare Allowance.

Meal Allowance - ($40 out of town or $12 locally per day)

Those $362 and $775 dollar meals also far exceeded the $40 per day limit for out of town workshops. Even Dianne Critchlow's local meals listed on her charge card as Professional Development exceed the "local meals"limit of $12 Per Day Meal Allowance as documented in the district's Policies and Regulations.

The District WILL NOT pay for alcohol.

According to Fox C-6 Regulation 4410.2, the district WILL NOT pay for alcohol. Hopefully, the receipts for meals will be provided for those out of town charges on our superintendent's and assistant superintendent's credit card statements. Do you think their high dollar amounts could have included alcohol on them?

Nightly Lodging Limits - ($110 per night)

It appears from the release of Fox's credit card data that former Superintendent Dianne Critchlow, Assistant Superintendent Dan Baker and Assistant Superintendent Todd Scott also exceed the $110 per night policy quite often.

Policies and Regulations were in place for our district. It's just that Fox's school board wasn't verifying and enforcing those Policies and Regulations.

Perhaps if Fox's school board had been reviewing the district credit card statements, they may have taken away our superintendents' credit cards years ago and the community wouldn't be as outraged like they are now after learning about their abuse of taxpayer dollars.

UPDATED 2013-2014 VISA Card Statements!
Received an actual copy of Fox C-6's 2013-2014 VISA Card Statements which contains more charges than previously posted online from a printed report. The statements contain much more information than the simple report provided previously:


2009-2010 VISA Card Statements
Received more VISA Credit Card Statements from the district. The 2009-2010 statements document more local and out of town meals paid for with taxpayer money as well as the usual travel to Tan-Tara-Resort at Osage Beach, MO. Not all of the airfare was paid on the VISA cards so that information will have to be gathered most likely from the DISCOVER CARD statements. Would definitely like to see the receipt for Dick's Sporting Goods for $448.27 on June 1, 2010.

There's a charge to a fairly pricey restaurant in Des Peres, MO called McCormick & Schmick's. You can find their menu online.

Lot's more Panera Bread charges as well!

Then there's the start of the charges in January 2011 at Doug's Burger Bar/Cowboy in Imperial, MO.


Below is Fox's Regulation from the district website for Professional Development Expense Reimbursement.


Professional Activities, Training and Professional Growth

PDC Expense Reimbursement

Registration Fees: Fees for an out-of-district professional development activity are to be paid by the participant. Reimbursement will be made after the participant completes the activity and processes a reimbursement request. Participant must complete a check request form with all original receipts attached.

Mileage: Mileage is reimbursed at the rate as authorized by the IRS (IRS authorized reimbursement can change throughout the year, the district will reimburse whatever was the approved rate at the time of travel). Standard mileage allowances for travel will be determined by Map Quest. Employees are expected to ride together when traveling to the same conference.
Employees may make arrangements to use school vehicles if so desired and they are available.

The following are standard mileage allowances within the state:

Cape Girardeau         100/200 RT
Chicago                     320/640 RT
Cincinnati                  370/740 RT
Columbia                   135/270 RT
Jefferson City            125/250 RT
Kansas City               275/550 RT
Knob Knoster            150/300 RT
Lake of the Ozarks    175/350 RT
Springfield                 215/430 RT

Airfare: Airfare allowances are $250.00 maximum. If multiple staff chooses to use airfare in lieu of riding together, airfare allowances will be capped at the rate of mileage designated and divided by the number of staff using airfare.

Meal Allowance: Meal reimbursement will not exceed $40.00 per day for out of town workshops. The district will pay $12.00 per day meal allowance for local professional development activities. The district will not pay for alcohol, and gratuities will not exceed 15% of the meal cost. Original receipts must be attached for reimbursement of expenses.

Lodging: Nightly hotel expense will be determined at a rate not to exceed $110.00 per night. It
is expected that employees will share a room when attending the same conference when possible. Employees attending the same conference will only be reimbursed for the cost of one double room, which could be shared. Staff members who desire a private room when multiple employees are attending the same conference will not be reimbursed any lodging expenses.

****** 

Adopted: 11/98
Effective: 07/99

Revised:  06/02, 09/04, 09/05
Effective: 07/02, 09/04, 09/05

Sunday, August 24, 2014

In June 2013 Fox's Board of Education Was Told Credit Cards Now Had Tighter Controls

In June 2013, the Fox C-6 Board of Education (BOE) was told that the district purchased a new module for their financial software which would allow the district to import credit card statements into their financial software. It would also allow them to "maintain tighter controls over purchases as well as increase the district's rebate."

The request also stated that the district "will need to expand the number of users through this process". I take this to mean that by providing more people with credit cards the district could earn even more rebate money. There were 25 credit card holders on the list to be approved for the 2013-2014 school year at the June 2013 Fox C-6 school board meeting.

There's nothing mentioned as to how the "rebate" money would be used or applied.

After reviewing the 2013-2014 school year credit card purchases it doesn't appear that the district was very diligent in "maintaining tighter controls over purchases".

Below is the text from the June 25, 2013 request to the BOE to approve employee credit cards and what the BOE was told about how the cards would be limited in types of purchases and limits. You can click on the link below the text to view the document presented to Fox's BOE in their June 2013 board packet. The pages from the June 25, 2013 board packet also includes the names of the card holders and their credit limits.
The District currently has credit cards through UMB. Per Policy #3181, the cards must be approved by the Board of Education. The District's bank, United Missouri Bank (UMB), provides cards without an annual fee. The cards are able to be coded for specific types of purchases and limits. 
The District also has Discover Cards. The card fees are more than offset by the rebates generated by using the card. 
The District also has an American Express card with no fees. 
We have purchased the P-Card module with our new SIS-FIN software. We are working with our credit card vendors to develop reports that will enable us to import credit card statements into the new system. The P-Card espansion will simplify our purchasing process, maintain tighter controls over purchases as well as increase the district's rebate. This year we will receive rebates of $30,317.92. We will need to expand the number of users through this process.
A list of employees who will have a UMB, American Express, and Discover credit card is attached.

Admins Knew Credit Card Policy
The interesting thing about this request to the board is that it references Fox's Credit Card Policy #3181. If Critchlow, Berblinger and McCutchen were referencing the policy in their request to the school board to approve the credit cards, then the administrators were knowledgeable about the Credit Card Policy. Fox's credit card policy states that credit cards are limited to purchasing Instructional Materials.

However, Fox's credit card statements document that credit cards weren't used solely for Instructional Materials. Policy #3181 is the same as the new Credit Card Policy #3125 which is still awaiting adoption by the school board.

The school board and the district have been working on updating board policies for almost 5 years but still haven't completed that task. That's why the request above referenced Policy #3181 instead of Policy #3125.

SIDE NOTE
Several people have posted questions asking who Sue Belleville is and why she purchased $211.57 at TOYSRUS-BABIESRUS in December 2012 using a district credit card. Sue Belleville works in the CKC program and is listed as a credit card holder on the List above. Is it possible that the purchase could have been for toys or games for the kids in the CKC program? Just a thought.

Friday, August 22, 2014

More Fox C-6 Credit Card Data That Doesn't Look Like "Conscientious" Spending!

Fox C-6's new CFO John Brazeal emailed me a copy of the 2012-2013 VISA Credit Card Statements yesterday. This was the first document provided in response to my Sunshine Requests sent to the district on Monday August 11, 2014. His office has been very busy after they started looking into how school district administrators were using their district supplied credit cards over the last several years. You will see why when you review the statement.

The taxpayers and parents in the Fox C-6 School District are going to be quite upset maybe even quite mad as to how much Dianne Critchlow and Dan Baker were spending on their trips for meals and airfare. Plus, you won't like the fact that their spouses (Jamie Critchlow and Angela Burns Baker) also went on at least two trips as documented in the VISA card statements in October and November 2012 and June 2013. Airfare was purchased in October 2012 for the November 2012 trip to Denver Colorado. The airfare for each of those trips was $605.60 and $541.80 respectively for those trips per person. This does not count other airline fees or parking fees at Lambert airport.

We'll need to get copies of the actual VISA statements for the 2013-2014 school year as the VISA statements reveal a LOT MORE data than the report that was published in the first release of the 2013-2014 VISA Card expenses. The 2012-2013 VISA card statements lists the persons the airline tickets were purchased for as well as what the travel destinations were. Not all of the airfare is listed in the VISA statement so the DISCOVER CARD statements for the same time frame will most likely provide that information.

From the parents I've talked to in the district over the last couple of weeks and from the comments I've read online, I think that everyone's going to feel even more taken advantage of with the release of the 2012-2013 VISA Card Statements.

I used PDF-XChange Viewer software to assemble the VISA Card Statements into a single document and run Optical Character Recognition (OCR) on the statements to make them searchable. When you read the statements in a PDF viewer you can search them for charges with keywords such as "Denver", "Orlando", "Palm", "Margaritaville", "Critchlow" or "Baker". NOTE: Leave out the quotes when searching.

I'm not sure how many people were eating at the meals on the Orlando trip in June 2013. But, the prices for meals were outrageous. On Dianne Critchlow's card there was a charge for $362.04 at the Margaritaville restaurant and on Dan Baker's card there was a charge for $774.29 at the Palm Restaurant which is in the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel. Those must have been some really nice meals!


You'll notice that there were plenty of other meals purchased locally on the 2012-2013 VISA card statements just like there were on the 2013-2014 credit card statements. It doesn't look to me as if all of the meals purchased were for "business" type lunches. A lot of the charges represent one person or possibly two person meals. When you're the 3rd highest paid superintendent in the state making more than $260,000 in salary and even much more than that in benefits, Dianne Critchlow could have and should have been paying for her own meals.

It was stated in this week's Arnold-Imperial Leader article by Dianne Critchlow's attorney that "Dr. Critchlow always used district funds conscientiously." Most taxpayers and parents will most likely disagree with Dianne's attorney on this claim. It's the same smoke screen that's been getting thrown out there for years. You can be the judge of things by reviewing the credit card statements.

In this week's article in the Arnold-Imperial Leader, Dianne's attorney sent Fox's new CFO a Cease and Desist Letter as well. Dianne really likes using the Cease and Desist letters to keep the public from learning the truth.

As taxpayers and parents, you'll probably wonder why our school board members weren't questioning what was being purchased on district credit cards. I've been asking our school board that questions for quite some time. In the past, I never received a response from the school board. They're probably wondering themselves why they weren't looking into the things that I kept asking about. Hindsight is 20-20!

Now that the Fox C-6 school board finally took a look at the credit card statements and what was being purchased, it's pretty easy to see why Fox's Central Office administrators had their credit cards taken away from them this year.

My father told me this week that when he worked in the district that the district only had one credit card when Mr. Rickman was the superintendent. While Dr. Hudson was the superintendent, the district obtained a second credit card for the Home Ec classes to make purchasing supplies easier for them.

The Fox C-6 community needs to insist to our school board that the audit and review goes back to when Dianne Brown-Critchlow began her stint as superintendent. We need to recover as much money as possible from her and the other administrators that weren't using their credit cards according to school district policy.

Dianne Critchlow is going to have a tough time explaining to the public that all of the charges on her credit card were legitimate expenses!


Wednesday, August 20, 2014

What's New In Fox's Board Meeting Packets?

What's new in the August 19, 2014 Board Meeting Packet?

Fox's board meeting packets have been getting posted to the district website on the Tuesday before the meeting. However, this month's board packet wasn't created until Wednesday August 13, 2014. So it wasn't posted until late last Wednesday. I missed downloading the packet before last night's board meeting. I also missed last night's board meeting as well. I am hoping that someone audio or video recorded the meeting.

There have been some improvements made to the Bill Payments Report over the last couple of months. I believe I know why those improvements took so many months to get accomplished. The lastest Bill Payments Report is much more useful now and it finally complies with school board policies. It now lists both the Vendor Name and a Purchase Description for each transaction as well as an account description for the funding account. Thank you to our school board and new CFO for making the changes suggested.

Below I have noted some items of interest found in the August 19, 2014 board meeting packet. One thing that stands out is the fact that Fox C-6 superintendents DO NOT have credit cards assigned to them anymore. The June 2014 board meeting list of credit card holders to be approved did not have them on the list. According to our new CFO all of the credit cards were recalled in mid-June and were more selectively redistributed with tighter restrictions.

The school board must still review the credit card statements each month to ensure that they are being properly used. The credit card statements also need to be included in the board meeting packets so the public can review them as well.

August 19, 2014 Board Meeting Packet Notes
  • Credit card approval at the June 30, 2014 school board meeting no longer has credit cards assigned to any assistant superintendents. (pg. 20)
  • The DISCOVER CARD is still assigned to Debby Davis, Kelly Nash and Jerry Kwiatkowski with a Credit Limit of $80,000. (pg. 20)
  • 2014-2015 Fox C-6 Teacher Salary Schedule posted. (pg. 61)
  • Funny jumps in the Salary Steps for Directors and Assistant Directors. It would be intesting to know if those steps that have higher amounts correspond to people currently holding positions in those steps. (pg. 67)
  • Bill Payments report for June 30, 2014 was finally corrected to display the credit card vendor as well as the Vendor Name and an Account Description for all of the credit card payments. However, the Transaction Description column was the same as the Vendor Name column for check payments. (pg. 86)
  • Sam's Club DISCOVER card payments listed on (pg. 96) in older format.
  • AMERICAN EXPRESS card payments listed on (pg. 101) in older format.
  • VISA card payments listed on (pg. 103) in older format.
  • The July 22, 2014 Board Meeting Bill Payments Report was improved further yet to include a Credit Card column to identify the credit card used. The column order was changed to Vendor Name followed by Purchase Description then amount and Account Description. The Bill Payments report is much easier to read and includes meaningful information. (pg. 127, 265)
  • The charges on page 152 for Panera Bread ($22.69, $69.00) and Sunny Street Cafe ($21.52) are listed as Professional Development and were paid with a VISA card. These charges match up with Dianne Critchlow's VISA card charges from May 27 and May 29, 2014. (pg. 152) (School district policy states that Credit Card usage is limited to purchases of "Instructional Materials". Read about why it took so long to obtain the credit card receipts.)
  • $349,300 to Brightergy for installation of Solar Panels at seven schools in the district. (pg. 271)
  • $27,757.45 in Tuition Instruction Service Contract with Hazelwood School District (pg. 279)
  • $17,100.00 to Lindbergh School District for Program for Exceptionally Gifted Students (PEGS) tuition. (pg. 279)
    Five students from Fox C-6 attend the PEGS program in the Lindbergh School District full time. (Two of those students are Mr. Crutchley's children.)
  • $38,411.75 for the new attorneys at Shands, Elbert, Gianoulakis (pg. 280).
  • Reimbursements for Summer School supplies to teachers begins on (pg. 286) This was a topic of discussion at the August 19, 2012 school board meeting. There were questions about how much it would cost to fully fund the schools for supplies so the teachers and the parents weren't having to provide the supplies.
  • Credit Card Statements must be included in the board meeting packets in order to reconcile the charges.
  • New Hire - Samual Rayburn - $31,500.00 - August 4, 2014 - Web Content and Communications Coordinator in the Central Office. (page 174)
  • Salary amounts are now published with the Employment of Certified and Classified staff in the board meeting packets. (page 174, 294, 296 and 302)
  • It seems that there are still a lot of meal purchases for Professional Development.

Fox's board packets for the 2014-2015 school year can be found on the district's website as well. But, the board packets have been getting updated shortly after the board meetings to include Late Materials. When the documents are updated they are assigned new Internet address links to the documents which would break any link posted here.

To download download board meeting packets prior to the next school board meeting for the 2014-2015 school year you click on the link below:

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Wow! Critchlow Used Other Fox C-6 Cardholder's Credit Cards Too!

Wow! I just found out from Fox C-6's new CFO, John Brazeal, that former superintendent Dianne Critchlow had been using other card holder's credit cards as well to make purchases besides using her own district supplied VISA card.

Mr. Brazeal informed me via email that, "Please be aware that Discover cards were held by Debbie Davis and Jerry K; however, with some frequency their credit cards were used by D Critchlow."

It's simply amazing to discover all of what's been going on behind the scenes in the Fox C-6 Central Office.

Earlier this evening, I emailed several school board members and Mr. Brazeal to see if any of them knew who Jerome K was who had made $26,405.45 in purchases last year on the district's DISCOVER CARD.

Mr. Brazeal informed me that Jerome is a custodian/courier in the Central Office.

Most of those purchases made using Jerome's credit card were made at Sam's Club, Wal-Mart, Office Depot and OfficeMax. But, there were purchases at Pomodoro's, McDonald's, Panera Bread Company, Dairy Queen, Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken and many more.

I've also been curious as to why there was a credit card transaction on Debby Davis's DISCOVER CARD for an ELLISVILLE PHOTOTICKET for $104.

It's pretty easy to hide how much was really being spent by former superintendent Dianne Critchlow by spreading purchases across multiple credit cards that were assigned to other card holders. It's just hard to comprehend!

So, not only did Dianne Critchlow have her own district supplied VISA card that she was using for purchases; she was also frequently using the DISCOVER CARD that was assigned to Debby Davis and Jerome K as well.

Mr. Brazeal informed me that "A comprehensive examination of credit card purchases is in progress."

So, it looks as if Dianne Critchlow's credit card "piggy bank" was larger than we thought. No wonder Mr. Brazeal's comments were so strong at the last Fox C-6 school board meeting when the BOE requested a State Audit of the Fox C-6 School District.

All of this started when I was reviewing Fox's DISCOVER CARD Statements earlier today. I noticed that the first 61 pages of the statements were FAXed to the Central Office on April 11, 2014 at 4:56PM as shown at the top of each page of the DISCOVER Card Statements. It took two FAX's to send the credit card statements from July 1, 2013 through March 2014.

Starting with the April DISCOVER CARD statement, you can see that someone started writing check marks on each of the transactions. So, someone was checking the statements after my inquiry. 

The last Fox C-6 board meeting that Mark McCutchen attended was in March 2014.



What's interesting is that Fox's DISCOVER Card Statements were received by FAX only a few hours after I received a response from Fox's Custodian of Records to my April 9 email. On April 9, I asked Fox's BOE to waive the $170 fee for the credit card statements. Perhaps someone on Fox's BOE asked to see the credit card statements after I made the request.

Fox's BOE Was Way Too Trusting
At the February 2014 Fox C-6 BOE meeting I asked the Fox's BOE how they were approving credit card bill payments each month without being provided the credit card statements in the school board packets. There was no response from the board. But no response has been the norm for years. Since Critchlow's departure, Fox's BOE has been responding to questions.

So, I emailed the board in February and March asking them to provide the credit card statements in the board meeting packets so the public could review them as well as the BOE. The credit card statements were never provided.


My Sunshine Request on April 4 must have started the ball rolling towards Fox's BOE making an inquiry about the credit card statements. On April 8, 2014, Debby Davis informed me that it would cost $170 to fulfill my Sunshine Request for the credit card statements. On April 9, 2014, I emailed Fox's BOE asking them to waive the charges for the credit card statements since my Sunshine request was for the Public's Interest.

It's the Superintendent's duty to keep Fox's BOE and the community informed about how their tax dollars are being spent. The credit card statements represented more than $2 Million Dollars spent by the school district between July 30, 2013 and February 2014. The majority of the high dollar payments were made on the district's American Express Card which included high dollar insurance and utility bills.

Read my previous article on Why It Took So Long To Get Fox C-6's Credit Card Statements to read my email exchanges with the school district in trying to get the credit card statements. I think everyone now knows why they were so hard to obtain.

All I can do is shake my head and say, WOW!

The last few months have uncovered a treasure trove of deceit and deception. I don't believe the Fox C-6 community would have believed all of what was going on behind the scenes without the credit card statements.

Tax Dollars Speak Louder Than Words!



DISCOVER CARD Purchases On Jerome's Card
While preparing my email to several of our school board members this evening I compiled the following information on what was purchased using Jerome's DISCOVER CARD and sent it to them:

Most purchases were made at:
  • Sam's Club
  • Wal-Mart
  • Lowe's
  • Office Depot
  • Office Max
  • Home Depot
Numerous purchases were also made at:
  • Panera's
  • Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken
  • Pomodoro's
  • Little Ceasar's
  • Fran Ann's Engraving
  • Save-A-Lot
  • Dairy Queen
  • McDonald's
  • Walgreens
  • Schnuck's
  • Best Buy
  • Jewel Box Florist
  • USPS
  • Custom Cellular in Arnold
Total Purchases by month on Jerome K's DISCOVER CARD:
  • 07/13 -    $234.22
  • 08/13 - $4,341.99
  • 09/13 - $2,132.35
  • 10/13 - $3,684.45
  • 11/13 - $1,498.02
  • 12/13 - $1,259.28
  • 01/14 -    $645.31
  • 02/14 - $2,846.89
  • 03/14 - $1,834.77
  • 04/14 - $4,505.47
  • 05/14 - $2,627.26
  • 06/14 -    $796.44
TOTAL AMOUNT: $26,406.45


(Updated: 08/17/2014 - 6:02pm - Added Debby Davis's DISCOVER CARD charges.)

DISCOVER CARD Purchases On Debby Davis's Card
To clarify things, I am posting the vendor names and total charges by month that were made on Debby Davis's DISCOVER CARD from the DISCOVER CARD Statements. Some of the large monthly amounts are due to payments for AT&T Telephone Bills. Telephone bill charges ranged from $1,200 to $21,243. There were also numerous charges for airline tickets, hotels and restaurants.

VENDOR LIST:
  • Loews Hotels Hard Rock Orlando, FL
  • Sam's Club
  • OfficeMax
  • Southwest Airlines - Dallas, TX
  • Steak-N-Shake
  • Panera Bread
  • H Toad Restaurant - Lake Ozark, MO
  • Ruthie D's - Lake Ozark, MO
  • Camden On The Lake, Lake Ozark, MO
  • Domenico's at the Lake - Lake Osage Beach, MO
  • Culver's of Osage Beach, MO
  • Office Depot
  • Applebee's Osage Beach, MO
  • American Association of School 730-875-0779 VA
  • Ellisville Phototicket - Tempe, AZ
  • AT&T Business Phone Payment - 888-851-1115 - TX
  • Holiday Inn Columbia, MO
  • Ferrellgas LP - Overland Park, KS
  • Amazon Marketplace
  • Amazon.com
  • Hobby Lobby - Arnold, MO
  • The Dough Depot - Kimmswick, MO
  • Southwest Airlines - Dallas, TX
  • Professional Media Group - Norwalk, CT
  • Fran Ann Engraving - St. Louis, MO
  • Crown Trophy, Ballwin, MO
  • Qdoba Mexican Grill, Arnold, MO
  • Applebee's - Arnold, MO
  • Tan-Tara-Resort - Osage Beach, MO
  • WSU Marketplace - Wichita, KS
  • AT&T Business Phone - 800-426-7066 - TX
  • Panera Bread - Arnold, MO
  • McDonald's - Kingdom City, MO
  • McDonald's - Osage Beach, MO
  • Cecil Whitaker's Pizza - Imperial, MO
  • Chili's - Osage Beach, MO
  • Lodge of the 4 Seasons - Lake Ozark, MO
  • Hotels.com - 800-219-4606 - NV
  • Weber's Front Row South - Arnold, MO
  • Clothing Shop Online - Bolingbrook, IL
  • Party City - Fenton, MO
  • Leader Publications
  • Renaissance - Washington, D.C.
  • Viviano's Festa Italian - Fenton, MO
  • DA AETN Shop (History Channel Online Store) - San Francisco, CA
  • GA School Fundraising - Nashville, TN
  • AT&T - Bethlehem, PA ($299.99) (2 charges at this amount.)
  • Dollar Tree - Arnold, MO
  • O'Charley's - Fenton, MO
  • Catering Your Way - St. Louis, MO
  • Red Lobster - St. Louis, MO
  • Rizzos - St. Louis, MO
  • Edible Arrangements - Arnold, MO
  • Capital Plaza - Jefferson City, MO
  • Barnes&Noble.com - NJ
  • TGI Friday's - St. Louis, MO
  • Things Remembered - St. Louis, MO
  • Omni Nashville - Nashville, TN
  • Frankie Gianinos - Imperial, MO
  • Gateway Arch Riverfront - St. Louis, MO
  • House Of Inks.com - CA
  • Character Ed Partnership - Washington, D.C.
  • MOASBO - 573-644-7900 - MO
  • Charter Communications - MO
  • Pomodoro's - Arnold, MO
  • The Blue Owl - Kimmswick, MO
  • Factory Card Outlet - St. Louis, MO
  • The UPS Store - Arnold, MO
  • The Olive Garden - Affton, MO
  • Dairy Queen - Arnold, MO
  • Papa John's - Arnold, MO
Total Purchases by month on Debby Davis's DISCOVER CARD:

07/13 -   $9,897.78
08/13 -   $2,528.65
09/13 - $24,520.31
10/31 - $13,694.91
11/31 - $28,467.21
12/31 - $25,606.18
01/14 - $25,427.15
02/14 - $17,654.30
03/14 -   $3,152.84
04/14 -   $2,853.99
05/14 -   $2,725.77
06/14 -          $0.00

TOTAL: $156,529.09

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Fox C-6 School Board Unanimously Agrees To Request A State Audit!

August 12, 2014 - The Fox C-6 School Board unanimously agreed to request a State Audit of the Fox C-6 School District. There was enough evidence to demonstrate that the Fox C-6 School District has had some very serious issues going on internally for many years that have been hidden from the public.

Mr. John Brazeal, Fox's new CFO ran through several of the problems that gave him reason to encourage the school board to request a State Audit.

One of the things that Mr. Brazeal pointed out as being a problem was that "The buildings seem to operate on a great deal of intimidation."

This probably isn't a surprise to anyone working for the district. But, it's not what the public has been lead to believe. It's also not the way to operate and lead a National District of Character.

Superintendent Critchlow's tag line on her Twitter account was, "Every decision is based on what's best for the kids!". I think everyone now knows otherwise. This was about control and getting the most out of the taxpayers for her own personal gain and the gain of those she favored.

Mr. Brazeal outlined some of the reasons that he believes that the Fox C-6 School Board should request a State Audit of the school district and they are listed below from the audio recording of the meeting.

Reasons For Requesting a State Audit
  • Noticed a number of transactions that were of personal nature rather than a business nature. We all know how wrong that is.
  • Unauthorized rates of compensation. People were paid at rates above what they were above what were authorized by board action to be paid.
  • Misuse of district property for personnel purposes.
  • Transactions that were illegal.
  • Some bond issue monies were possibly use to cover or hide deficits at an earlier date.
  • In mid June Mr. Crutchley recalled all of the credit cards.
  • A limited number of credit cards have been reissued with new guidelines and user agreements.
  • Mr. Brazeal's predecessor (Mark McCutchen) shred most of the documents in the his office.
  • Other people in the organization attempted to destroy records by deleting electronic records and attempted to wipe there computers and network drives clean. (The district is working on recovery that data and a lot of that data has been recovered already.)
  • Actions have been taken to alter the way they do business and curtail the situation.


Cheryl Hermann had questions about the state audit. She said that Fox had a state audit 15 years ago. That audit occurred in 2002. Cheryl Hermann believes that the state audit in 2002 didn't go deep enough. There was some laughter and disbelief from the audience regarding her comments.

Mrs. Hermann does NOT understand that the school board is responsible for overseeing the payment of bills. It's the school board's job to review what they are approving when authorizing payments each month.

Mr. Brazeal believes that there will be civil and criminal actions coming out of the audit. He believes that our financial statements are materially correct. He said that the credit card statements that were recently released generate a tremendous amount of questions.

Mr. Brazeal also gave his thoughts on why things were happening the way they were based on stories he had been told.
"Apparently there was a great deal of intimidation towards people raising objections to what they were doing. People were always being told what they were being instructed and directed to do. That's unfortunate. Now what has happened I don't believe was the work of one person. Things takes collusion. My predecessors could have done a better job in dealing with these issues. The superintendent could have done a better job in dealing with these issues. The culture that was set. Between those two parties they hold a good deal of responsibility of keeping the thing on track."
Acting Superintendent Tim Crutchley spoke after Mr. Brazeal made the above statement. I think almost everyone realizes that Mr. Crutchley was in the middle of all of this as well and so having Mr. Crutchley involved with the audit and providing documentation is a grave concern to the community. There should be very few people in the Central Office that are able to walk away from this unscathed.

Mr. Brazeal answered more of Cheryl Hermann's question as to how this could happen. The Fox C-6 school board should have been asking more questions and not just taking Superintendent Critchlow's word on things.
"You were presented with a hire. You didn't necessarily see the contract and I believe you should see all documents in their final form before you vote on them. I believe you were voting on a number of documents, situations, transactions, hires and compensation rates, etc. without seeing the document. The documents but even if you did there are cases that I found where those documents were altered after the fact. It's that serious. ... It's that wrong."
I'm very familiar with the changing of documents after the fact. All of this has been allowed to go on for far too long. I'm glad to see that things are starting to change!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Email Sent to the Fox C-6 School Board Regarding a State Audit

The Fox C-6 School Board has called a meeting for 7PM tonight August 12, 2014 to vote on approving a request for a State Audit of the Fox C-6 School District

The community currently has a lot of concerns regarding how taxpayer dollars have been spent by our school district administrators and directors using school district supplied credit cards. The recent release of credit card statements to the public shows that school district credit cards were not used according to school board policies.

This morning I sent the following email to the Fox C-6 School Board regarding tonight's meeting about requesting an ASAP State Audit of the Fox C-6 School District.

Email Sent to the Fox C-6 School Board
on August 12, 2014
 Regarding a State Audit Request
of the Fox C-6 School District 
I hope as members of the Fox C-6 School Board that you will unanimously vote YES tonight to request that an ASAP State Audit be conducted of the Fox C-6 School District. 
As you know, I have been very concerned about Bill Payment Reports and the lack of information provided in those reports for a very long time. Starting in August 2013, the Bill Payments report no longer included a reason code or a description of what the payment was for, which is in violation of school district Policy #3150 - Payment Procedures
I have also been expressing my concerns since at least February 2014 about the Credit Card Payments and the fact that school board packets provided to the school board and the public did not include the Credit Card Statements for the BOE to review each month. I have been asking for the credit card statements since at least February 2014 and it took until August 2014 to obtain them. 
After reviewing the Fox C-6 credit card statements provided to me last week for the 2013-2014 school year, it is very apparent that school district credit cards were not being used according to school board policy by school district administrators and directors. Their usage of school district credit cards violated school district Policy #3125 - Credit Cards
It is very clear from the comments posted by Fox C-6 taxpayers and parents on Facebook and in conversations with others in our district that Superintendent Critchlow and several administrators not only violated school board policy but they violated the trust of the community. This reflects very poorly on the oversight of both the school board and of our Central Office Administrators. 
I am requesting that the Fox C-6 BOE request that a State Audit conducts an in depth review of the district dating back to at least the 2009-2010 school years to present. 
A State Audit needs to include at minimum a review of financial transactions and teacher certifications of individuals hired and promoted within the school district since 2009. 
It is imperative that both the Fox C-6 BOE and the community are kept fully informed as to whether or not the Fox C-6 School District has been following all state and federal laws as well as the guidelines and regulations of Missouri DESE and the federal agencies that oversee our district. 
It's important to the community and Fox C-6 taxpayers to know that our student's are being provided the best possible education with the funds that we have and that district funds are being spent responsibly. Ensuring that the district funds are being spent responsibly rests on the shoulders of the school board. It is very evident that this has not been happening in our school district for at least the last 9 years. 
In order for you to do your job, you must be kept fully aware of how monies are being spent by closely reviewing Bill Payments Reports and Credit Card Statements. Superintendent Critchlow did not provide you with proper Bill Payments Reports and did NOT provide Credit Card Statements to the school board which violated school board policies. She even refused to correct the problem. This in itself should have been grounds for her dismissal. 
The Fox C-6 community is now very aware of what has been occurring in our school district for the last 6+ years regarding federal compliance as well as bill payments and superintendent salaries. The community is now watching very closely. It's important that you do the right thing and request a very thorough State Audit of the Fox C-6 School District. 
Please include this letter to the school board in the next Fox C-6 school board meeting packet as a letter to the school board so the community can stay informed. Transparency is key to rebuilding the trust of the community. 

Thank you, 
Rich Simpson

Monday, August 11, 2014

Why It Took So Long To Get Fox C-6's Credit Card Statements

It took nearly 6 months to obtain copies of the Fox C-6 School District's credit card statements for the 2013-2014 school year. I can't help but wonder if Superintendent Critchlow would have attended the May 2014 graduation ceremony if the district's credit card statements had been made public prior to graduation. The reaction from the community has not been very positive after reviewing Dianne Critchlow's credit card charges.

Recent events may have taken a much different path if I had paid the $170 fee the district wanted to charge me for the credit card statements back in April.

I didn't pay the fee because the district shouldn't have been charging a fee. In fact the credit card statements should have been part of the monthly board meeting packets that our school board members review each month prior to approving payments. The Fox C-6 school board was simply approving the lump sum payments each month to the credit card companies and trusting that the cards were being used wisely and according to school board policies.

We've now learned that most of our school district administrators weren't using district credit cards according to district policy. It also became very clear as to why there was such a resistance to making the credit card statements available to the public. Even the updated Bill Payment reports that were modified in April 2014 didn't provide the proper information as required by school district policies.

Request for State Audit
For these reasons, I suggested that the Fox C-6 BOE or acting superintendent request a State Audit of the Fox C-6 School District at the June 30, 2014 Fox C-6 School Board meeting during Public Comment. It costs less for the school district to request a State Audit than it does to have an audit forced by a signature petition. The Fox C-6 BOE has called a Special Meeting for Tuesday August 12, 2014 at 7PM to approve the request of conducting a state audit of the district.

I would like to see the district request that the State Audit review the last 5 Fiscal Years rather than the 3 suggested by Mr. Brazeal in his letter to the school board. The review should go back to when leadership changes were made in the district during the fall of 2009. Documents should should still be available for the past 5 years.

A State Audit can also check for compliance with state and federal regulations as well as proper certifications, etc. It's very important to know that our superintendent was recommending individuals who were properly certified for the positions to which they were being hired or promoted to within our district.

Unbelievable Credit Card Purchases
The credit card statements really woke up the Fox C-6 community to the fact that there are problems in our district's leadership after reading many of their comments on Facebook. Wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars is an embarrassment to the community. The community's trust of our district's leaders and school board has been shattered. Not only were Central Office Administrators being overpaid, they were also using taxpayer dollars to purchase meals on an almost daily basis when they were the ones who could have most easily afforded to pay for their own meals.

School district policies cover Credit Card usage and Payment Procedures. But it's very obvious that many of our administrators using district supplied credit cards weren't following district policy. Superintendent Critchlow appears to have been the worst offender. She refused to correct the bill payments earlier in the year when asked to include a payment description or reasons for payments as required by district policy.

I'm glad that documented evidence of wrong doing has made it to the public. Now the school board has proof that there have been problems in our district for quite some time and should be able to take action towards terminating those involved. Even the school board shares responsibility for not verifying credit card statements.

One of my concerns currently is the fact that some of those in charge of overseeing and investigating these issues were also participants in the incorrect usage of district credit cards. The credit card companies should be able to provide the statements for the cards and destruction of that data would not look good at this point in time.

I thought it would be helpful for the community to understand why it took so long to obtain the credit card statements by publishing my exchange of emails with the district. The emails start after pointing out at the February 2014 Fox C-6 school board meeting my concerns that the district had already paid $2 Million dollars in credit card bills for the school year but credit card statements to document what was purchased was not provided in the board packets.

Accountability means that billing statements must be reviewed each month before the payments are approved by the board of education. Spending $2 Million dollars on credit cards is a lot of money to be spending without checking where and what it's being spent on.

As you can see from the email exchanges below, I requested that the district waive the $170 fee per Missouri Sunshine Law. Eventually I received a response to my request from Dr. Rizzi's on May 1, 2014 near the end of the email chain. My request to waive the fee was denied as quoted below!
Your request to waive the fee of $170 has not been granted. We would be happy to complete the request upon payment.
I asked in a follow up email when the school board decided that they would NOT waive the fees. I never received a response to that question. I had backed them into a corner with my questions so there was no way to answer the question.

I think it is quite clear why Superintendent Critchlow didn't want this information public. That's why my request to waive the fees were denied. But, now that Superintendent Critchlow is no longer pulling all the strings, my most recent Sunshine Request for the credit card statements was supplied FREE of charge.

You'll also notice in the exchange of emails that the district wanted me to forward all of my questions to the district prior to asking them at school board meetings so the district could be more "proactive" rather than "reactive". This request from the district certainly singled me out for asking questions that they don't like to answer. They could have just kept doing what they had been doing by not answering questions but then that's a completely different problem.

Receiving copies of the credit card statements has awakened the Fox C-6 community. It seems that a lot more people are paying attention now and are taking the time to review the data. It's definitely amusing to listen to people's comments as they read through the credit card statements for the first time. There are those purchases that just jump out at you such as "The Disney Store", the "Drunken Noodle", payments to Political Action Committees for school district administrators as well as Red Light Traffic tickets and the almost daily purchase of meals from local or out of town establishments such as the "Swinging Doors Saloon". Then there was the $1000 purchase at Walmart on the same day of another $418.07 purchase at Walmart.

Of course, there were legitimate purchases made by Family and Consumer Science (FACS) teachers that were purchasing "instructional materials" for their classrooms. So please know, that many purchases for Save-A-Lot, Walmart and Shop-n-Save are valid purchases. But, you shouldn't be finding that many charges from our superintendents at Walmart, Shop-n-Save or Save-A-Lot.

The cost to obtain Fox's credit card statements was originally $170 but was eventually FREE! 

Watching people's reactions as they review the credit card statements, PRICELESS!!

It's pretty easy to see why people are upset. Just read what school district administrators were spending our taxpayer dollars on while telling the public that the district didn't have money for various things.

Below are the emails documenting my correspondence with the Fox C-6 Board of Education, Assistant Superintendent Andy Arbeitman and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi for the months of February through May of 2014 as I attempted to obtain the district's credit card statements. Getting answers to questions has been a problem for several years despite what Superintendent Critchlow told the public as you will see when I had to repeat my questions and email multiple times.

Hopefully, this documentation will give the public a lot better understanding as to how these problems have been allowed to go on for so long without anyone knowing about them.

It also helps to know that school board meeting minutes don't document very well what was said during Public Comment like audio or video recordings do. If they had, the public might have known much sooner what was being investigated which may have led to more people questioning our board and things might not have gotten so out of hand.



Email Exchange To Obtain Credit Card Statements
and Correct Bill Payment Reports

From: Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Date: February 19, 2014 1:08:40 PM CST
To: Rich Simpson
Cc: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary, Critchlow, Dr. Dianne, Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Subject: Response to public comment at the February 18, 2014 board of education meeting

Mr. Simpson,

Thank you again for your time and public comments at our board meeting last night.  With regard to your requests to;

-include more information in our board packets online
-more detailed credit card bills
-the district budget online
-more descriptions of payments
-the statement according to your calculations the district has approximately $2,000,000 in credit card bills to date 

The district actually has $1,993,799 in credit card bills to date and a lot of schools utilize credit cards/purchasing cards to pay bills for added cash back rebates.  This allows for more value of the school district dollar.  Most of the credit card bills during the current year are electric bills district-wide, monthly copier costs, and as much of our office/teacher types of supplies when the credit card was still allowed for those types of charges. We have received approximately $35,000 in rebates to date.

In order to better meet your needs, thoughts, and questions, we would like to be more proactive with your monthly public comments rather than reactive.  That said, I am requesting that if you know what your questions, opinions, thoughts, or desires are prior to our board meetings, that you to please call me in advance so that we can better serve you and your comments.  This will in no way stop you or prevent you from making monthly public comments, but rather it will allow more validity and affirmation for our board of education that you are following the proper chain of command as per board policy.  If you choose not to contact me in advance, all further responses from your public comments will be a “thank you” response and that we look forward to responding to you in the future when you are willing to communicate with district employees first.  At this time, your request for more detailed credit card bill descriptions, the district budget posted online, and more detailed descriptions of monthly payments are being requested from only one individual and we can make those available to you upon request.  The board appreciates your comments and they will continue to be taken under consideration.

Finally, you added a comment about administrative salaries that was not on your public comment request sheet.  I will be happy to look into this for you upon receiving a return phone call.  My number is listed below.  I look forward to your call.

Andy Jay Arbeitman
Assistant Superintendent of Instruction



From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 7:24 AM
To: Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Cc: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Dan E. Smith; David Palmer; Steve Holloway; John Laughlin; Laughlin, John; Cheryl Hermann; Linda S. Nash; Dan Kroupa
Subject: RE: Response to public comment at the February 18, 2014 board of education meeting

[Responses to Mr. Arbeitman's email in red]

From: Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 1:09 PM
To: Rich Simpson
Cc: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Subject: Response to public comment at the February 18, 2014 board of education meeting

Mr. Simpson,

Thank you again for your time and public comments at our board meeting last night.  With regard to your requests to;

-include more information in our board packets online
Yes, my request to the Fox C6 School Board on 2/18/14 included that all the credit card statements (full originals less account numbers) be included in board packets.

-more detailed credit card bills
Actually, this statement is not completely accurate.  My request to the Board of Education on 2/18/14 was that the Board make available to the public the actual original credit card invoices/statements.  I asked the Board to provide the original statements from the credit card company to the public by including them, in their entirety, in the board packets that are then made available to the public on the District's website. By copying this correspondence to Dan Smith, I renew my request to the Board and ask that a member of the Board respond to my request. 

-the district budget online
My request to the Board of Education on 2/18/14 was that the Board publish the district’s budget(s) on the District’s website. The district recently provided the Board with the 2014-2015 district budget. Please publish the 2014-2015 budget on the district website like they do in other districts such as Rockwood.

-more descriptions of payments
Again, this is not completely accurate.  My request to the Board of Education on 2/18/14 was that the Board include a description for each line item payment/disbursement.  Currently there is no description at all, so it’s not accurate to state that I am requesting "more descriptions" when none currently exist. The only information that the Board currently makes available to the public is the name of the Payee to whom payment is made.  No information regarding what the payment is for is included and, therefore, the information is not useful to the average citizen.  My request to the Board on 2/18/14 was that the Board provide information about the intended purpose for each payment.  The example I provided was the recent payment of $24,000 to "The Bridal Shop" which may seem unusual to the average resident but would be immediately clarified if accompanied with a simple description statement indicating that this payment was for "choir robes".  This was practice in our District previously and it currently is the standard in other area school districts. Since the Board that approves spending based on this information, my request is directed to the Board.  Board policy 3150 states that list of bills for approval, “will be supported by invoices, approved purchase orders, properly submitted vouchers, or in accordance with salaries and salary schedules approved by the Board.” Therefore I renew my request to the Board

-the statement according to your calculations the district has approximately $2,000,000 in credit card bills to date 

The district actually has $1,993,799 in credit card bills to date and a lot of schools utilize credit cards/purchasing cards to pay bills for added cash back rebates.  This allows for more value of the school district dollar.  Most of the credit card bills during the current year are electric bills district-wide, monthly copier costs, and as much of our office/teacher types of supplies when the credit card was still allowed for those types of charges. We have received approximately $35,000 in rebates to date.

Thank you for this information; however, to clarify, my concern was and is not that the District utilizes a credit card(s).  My concern is that the Board provides no descriptive information about credit card purchases to the public and does not include credit card statements like they do in other districts in their board packets.

In order to better meet your needs, thoughts, and questions, we would like to be more proactive with your monthly public comments rather than reactive.  That said, I am requesting that if you know what your questions, opinions, thoughts, or desires are prior to our board meetings, that you to please call me in advance so that we can better serve you and your comments.  This will in no way stop you or prevent you from making monthly public comments, but rather it will allow more validity and affirmation for our board of education that you are following the proper chain of command as per board policy.  If you choose not to contact me in advance, all further responses from your public comments will be a “thank you” response and that we look forward to responding to you in the future when you are willing to communicate with district employees first.  At this time, your request for more detailed credit card bill descriptions, the district budget posted online, and more detailed descriptions of monthly payments are being requested from only one individual and we can make those available to you upon request.  The board appreciates your comments and they will continue to be taken under consideration.

This is where we disagree, and where I seek your further very specific clarification. Please provide me with a copy of the Fox C6 school board policy to which you refer above.

Perhaps you may be referring to school board Policy 1480 regarding “School/Community Relations - Public Complaints”. It states:

Although no member of the community shall be denied the right to petition the Board of Education for redress of a grievance, the complaints will be referred through the proper administrative channels for solution before investigation or action by the Board. Exceptions are complaints that concern Board actions or Board operations only.”

Obviously, Policy 1480 is not applicable here since my concerns meet the stated exception, i.e. the concerns I addressed at the 2/18/14 school board meeting are about “Board actions” and “Board operations” and I am therefore not subject to any “chain of command”.  My concerns/questions were not about student or personnel issues, instruction, discipline, or learning materials.  But perhaps there is another policy that applies of which I am unaware?

Furthermore, I find it shocking that you have made a threat to me on behalf of the school Board-- “If you choose not to contact me in advance, all further responses from your public comments will be a “thank you” response and that we look forward to responding to you in the future when you are willing to communicate with district employees first.”

Therefore, at your earliest convenience, please provide me with any school Board policy, documentation, or correspondence that supports your claims that:
  • the School Board may refuse to respond to a public question/concern about Board actions unless the resident “first” submits their concern to you
  • you, Andy Arbeitman, an employee of the school district, hold the authority to prescreen questions and concerns from members of the public to determine if, in your assessment, the concern is “valid” or not “valid” for consideration by the Board
  • the Board has made the decision to abdicate its responsibility and has expressly delegated its authority to you to determine if questions/concerns from the public are “valid” or not “valid” and deserving of a reply from them
Finally, you added a comment about administrative salaries that was not on your public comment request sheet.  I will be happy to look into this for you upon receiving a return phone call.  My number is listed below.  I look forward to your call.

Your request seems silly since my only availability for phone calls is outside of regular business hours when you would not normally be in your office.  My question, as asked to the School Board on 2/18/14 is that the School Board of Education include the administrative salary schedule on the district website. It should also be included in the board packets with actual salaries and not just “X”’s for the salary amounts. It doesn’t provide the public with any information to only place an “X” for a salary amount. Generally, I can be reached by phone at home between the hours of 6 and 7 a.m. or between 8 and 10 p.m. Or, if it's more convenient, please simply include this information, along with your responses to my other questions contained in this email, in your response.

I also request that the Board of Education delay approving the Board’s updated Policies, Regulations and Forms until the April 2014 Board meeting. The District and the Board should have properly notified the public that they were available for review and recommendations. No announcements or notifications were posted on the district website or in the local paper notifying the public that the updated Policies and Regulations had been posted for the public to review.

Prior to approving the updated Polices, Regulations and Forms, please remove Vickie Hanson as a point of contact. She retired from the district in 2008.


Thank you,

Rich Simpson



From: Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Date: March 19, 2014 11:23:46 AM CDT
To: Rich Simpson
Cc: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary, Crutchley, Tim - CO Admin., Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent
Subject: Response to Public Comments at the March 18, 2014 board meeting

The district has their revised board policies on the website for review; however, we will add a public notice so that the patrons can be more informed.

The board of education continues to be in consideration of Mr. Simpson’s comments and suggestions.  In the meantime, upon request via email or phone, hard copies of the budget and such will be made available to Mr. Simpson.  Please contact Andy Arbeitman at 636-296-8000 or arbeitmana@fox.k12.mo.us.


Andy Jay Arbeitman
Assistant Superintendent of Instruction



From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Friday, March 28, 2014 7:35 AM
To: Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent; Dan E. Smith - Board President; David Palmer - Board Vice President
Cc: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Steve Holloway; John Laughlin; Cheryl Hermann; Linda S. Nash; Dan Kroupa
Subject: RE: Response to public comment at the February 18, 2014 board of education meeting

Thank you for delaying the decision to approve the school board policies at the March 2014 school board meeting and for posting a link to them on the front page of Fox’s website.

Since the March 2014 school board meeting, I discovered that the entire section of Employee Evaluations was left out of the board policies Forms section even though they are listed in the Form’s Table of Contents. I was able to locate the Employee Evaluation Forms in the 2012 draft version of the board policies on the district website and review them. These should be added back into the Forms section of the document.

Contrary to Superintendent Critchlow’s statement at the November 5, 2013 board workshop, all questions from Public Comments are not answered. Many questions have gone unanswered.

At the February 2014 Fox C-6 school board meeting I asked the following questions that are still unanswered despite renewing my requests in my previous email:

How can the school board approve Bill Payments when there are no payment descriptions documenting what each payment is for?

How can the school board approve paying the credit card bills when they aren’t provided with the credit card statements to document what was purchased with the credit cards?

I also asked where I could find a copy of the Administrator Salary Schedule? Could it be found on the website? The copy from last year’s board packets for the 2013-2014 school year only had “X”’s for the Administrator Salary amounts.

I haven’t received answers to these questions. I was simply told by Mr. Arbeitman in his email that if I wished to have him look into the matter that I should give him a call.

Fox has now paid more than $2 Million in credit card bills for the 2013-2014 school year and the board packets did not include credit card statements. There needs to be accountability for this spending. Fox’s board policies states that Bill Payments need to be supported by Invoices, Purchase Orders and Vouchers. Those aren’t provided in the board packets. If a board member wants to know what a payment is for, they must make a request for the documentation. If there aren’t any descriptions on the payments, it’s difficult for them to know what to ask for.

Please email me electronic copies in PDF format of the Credit Card statements for the American Express, Visa and Discover card for the 2013-2014 school year.

Also, please email me a PDF copy of the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 Fox C-6 Administrator Salary schedules that include salary amounts.

The Fox C-6 school board needs to request that the district post the school district budget on the district website like they do in other school districts. If Northwest, Camdenton, Rockwood and Parkway can afford to take the 30 seconds that it takes to copy the documents to their district website, Fox should be able to do the same as well.

I haven’t received a response from Mr. Arbeitman documenting the policy that he alluded to about following the “chain of command”.  Mr. Arbeitman spoke about this at the November 5, 2013 school board workshop.  At that workshop, when Mr. Arbeitman suggested that the district put a policy in place, Superintendent Critchlow stated that the district already had rules in place. Board member Cheryl Herman said that “It’s not a must.” that the community has to contact district administrators prior to speaking to the school board.

Please review our school board policies and provide me with the section that states that questions concerning board actions or decisions requires patrons to first speak with district employees prior to speaking to the board.

I look forward to your response.


Thank you,

Rich Simpson



From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2014 7:50 AM
To: Arbeitman, Andy - Assistant Superintendent; Smith, Dan - Board President; Palmer, David - Board Vice President
Cc: Crutchley, Tim - CO Admin.; Davis, Debby - CO Secretary; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Holloway, Steve - Director; Laughlin, John - Director; Laughlin, John; Hermann, Cheryl - Director; Nash, Linda - Director; Kroupa, Dan - Director
Subject: Questions for the Fox C-6 School Board and Missouri Sunshine Law Documents Request

Last week on March 28, 2014, I emailed everyone on the Fox C-6 School Board my questions which I posed at the February 2014 school board meeting. I have not received a response to my questions as required by school board policy.

I didn’t even receive any acknowledgements that anyone in the district or on the school board received my email. I did receive two Auto Replies stating that Superintendent Critchlow and a school board member were out of the office.

In last week’s email, I renewed my request for answers to my questions from the February 2014 board meeting and the questions posed in my March 18 email to the board. I also made a request for electronic copies (PDF) of the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 Administrator Salary Schedule as well as electronic copies (PDF) of the credit card statements for the 2013-2014 school year that the school board approves payments for each month as listed in the Bill Payments.

Please consider this email a Missouri Sunshine Law request for electronic versions of the documents requested above as well as the requests for information that I emailed to the board on March 18, 2014.

I also requested from Mr. Arbeitman a copy of the board policy that states that persons wishing to speak to the school board must follow a “chain of command” for questions that are board actions. My review of our board policies was documented in my March 18 email. Please provide the policies as requested that states a “chain of command” requirement for board actions.

I also renew my request to the school board to post the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 school district budgets on the school district’s website like they do in many other school districts such as Northwest, Parkway, Rockwood, Camdenton and many more. It takes less than 30 seconds of time to publish the documents on the district website. Hearing Superintendent Critchlow state that there is no state law or mandate that requires our school district to even have a website is not a good excuse for not publishing the data. As a school board, you should be requesting that this data be made available to the public on the district website.

As Fox C-6 school board members, you were elected by the community to represent us. You took an oath and are required to follow the Code of Ethics as documented in our school board policies. You are required by the Code of Ethics to “maintain the public trust through full and open communication” and“Insist that school funds be spent prudently and effectively to provide maximum educational benefits.”

Can you please explain how failing to respond to emails from parents or patrons or failing to respond to Public Comments follows our school district’s Code of Ethics which state, “As a member of the school Board, I shall maintain the public trust through full and open communication.”?


Thank you,

Rich Simpson



From: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary
Date: April 8, 2014 11:39:41 AM CDT
To: Rich Simpson
Cc: Hermann, Cheryl - Director, Critchlow, Dr. Dianne, Dan Kroupa, Smith, Dan - Board President, David Palmer - Board Vice President, Davis, Debby - CO Secretary, Laughlin, John, Linda Nash, Steve Holloway
Subject: RE: Questions for the Fox C-6 School Board and Missouri Sunshine Law Documents Request

Mr. Simpson,

Attached is a letter in regard to your Mo Sunshine Law request and the items that you requested that the District does have in a pdf format.  The letter will explain the procedure to follow in receiving the remaining documents you requested.

Thank you,

Debby A. Davis
Administrative Asst. to the Supt/BOE
Fox C-6 School District



From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 7:42 AM
To: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary
Cc: Hermann, Cheryl - Director; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Dan Kroupa; Smith, Dan - Board President; David Palmer - Board Vice President; Laughlin, John; Linda Nash; Steve Holloway
Subject: RE: Questions for the Fox C-6 School Board and Missouri Sunshine Law Documents Request

Thank you for your reply.

No one on the school board has addressed my questions that I presented at the February 2014 Fox C-6 school board meeting and that I included in my March 28 and April 4, 2014 emails regarding Bill Payments and credit card payments. When will these questions be answered by our school board?

The administrator salary schedule that I requested is the one that was included in the board packets in the past. It lists all of the administrator's names and positions along with their salaries for each of the upcoming school years. I have attached a copy of the report from the 2013 school board packets as an example. However, the Administrator Salary report that I attached from the 2013 board packet did not list the salary amounts. The report only had the letter “X” where the salary amounts were to be listed. Please provide the Administrator Salary Report in PDF format similar to the one attached for the 2013-2016 school years with salary amounts included. Also, please include Superintendent Critchlow’s 2014-2015 salary amount as well.

Regarding my question on “chain of command”, I have read the board policies on Public Complaints. My questions to the school board regarding Bill Payments are not complaints. They are simply questions for the board asking them how they can approve bill payments without being provided descriptions for the bill payments or the credit card statements for them to review each month. Nowhere in our board policies does it state that I cannot ask our school board questions at a school board meeting during Public Comments without first contacting district administrators or personnel for board actions.

As our elected school board members, Fox's Code of Ethics states that "As a member of the school Board, I shall:" accept and follow each of the items listed in the Code of Ethics; following our district’s Code of Ethics is not optional.

My request for the credit card statements for this school year was for the public interest and not a request for personal or commercial interest. Therefore, I am requesting that ALL fees for locating and copying the credit card statements for the 2013-2014 school year be waived as documented on the Missouri Attorney General's website so the credit card statements can be provided to the Fox C-6 community so they can review and understand where their tax dollars are being spent.



Thank you,

Rich Simpson



From: Davis, Debby - CO Secretary
Date: April 11, 2014 1:57:38 PM CDT
To: Rich Simpson
Cc: Hermann, Cheryl - Director, Cheryl Hermann, Critchlow, Dr. Dianne, Dan Kroupa, Smith, Dan - Board President, David Palmer - Board Vice President, Laughlin, John, Linda Nash, Steve Holloway
Subject: RE: Questions for the Fox C-6 School Board and Missouri Sunshine Law Documents Request

Mr. Simpson,

I apologize for the confusion but in your request for records you asked for (In last week’s email, I renewed my request for answers to my questions from the February 2014 board meeting and the questions posed in my March 18 email to the board. I also made a request for electronic copies (PDF) of the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 Administrator Salary Schedule”).

Thank you for the clarification of what you were requesting.  Attached are the Administrator Salaries for the 2013-2014  and the 2014-2015 school years.


Debby A. Davis
Administrative Asst. to the Supt/BOE
Fox C-6 School District



From: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 2:52 PM
To: Rich Simpson
Subject: response to public comments

Mr. Simpson,

I would like to thank you for your public comment last evening.  I am writing to inform that beginning with the BOE May meeting, the payment of bills will show more detail which includes credit card purchases.  These will be included in the board packets and posted on the website each month. I have scanned an example for your viewing.

I hope you have a great Easter Break!

Sincerely,


Dr. Lorenzo C. Rizzi
Assistant Superintendent
Secondary Education
National District of Character
Achievement - Character - Excellence


From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 7:07 AM 
To: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin; Laughlin, John - Director 
Cc: John Laughlin 
Subject: RE: response to public comments 

Dr. Rizzi and Mr. Laughlin,

I appreciate your efforts in providing more transparency for the Fox C-6 community. However, in order for the transparency to be meaningful, the reports must be accurate. As I pointed out to Dr. Rizzi a couple of weeks ago in my email, the Vendor Names will need to be correct on the report for credit card payments otherwise the new reports will raise even more questions about the purchases.

The credit card payments should also have a transaction description listed with them other than CARD SERVICES or AMERICAN EXPRESS similar to the check payments. Perhaps the empty LINE AMOUNT column can be used to populate the credit card account on the report. If the community cannot trust the information being supplied by the district, the district will need to provide the credit card statements along with the Bill Payments Report in the board packets as I have previously requested.

I have not received a response from my Sunshine Request regarding the waiving of the $170 fee to obtain the credit card statements for the year. As I stated at the April 2014 Fox C-6 school board meeting, the credit card statements are public record and are not for personal or commercial interest. Providing the credit card statements to the community is for the interest of everyone in the Fox C-6 community. Therefore, I renew my request for the district to provide PDF copies of the credit statements for the 2013-2014 school year and that the school district waives any fees for providing that information. The new copiers recently procured by the district have a scan to PDF or network function making it very easy to produce a PDF document of the credit card statements.

Once the new Bill Payments Report format is updated to provide the correct information, I ask that all of the 2013-2014 school board packets be updated to include the new information provided in the new report. This will help reduce questions regarding this year’s payments. The board packets are already quickly updated each month with the late materials bill payments and replacing those pages with the new report should not take very long.

I attached a copy of the sample Bill Payments report that Dr. Rizzi emailed me on Wednesday April 16, 2014. I rotated the report 90 degrees to make it easier to read.


Thank you,

Rich Simpson


From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2014 6:39 AM
To: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin
Subject: RE: response to public comments

Dr. Rizzi,

Thank you for emailing a sample report. That’s good news and will greatly help the board and the community in knowing how our tax dollars are spent by the district.

I would like to suggest changing the column order of the report to having the VENDOR NAME listed prior to the TRANSACTION DESCRIPTION.

In the final version, will the Transaction Description for Check Payments post a description for the payment rather than duplicating the VENDOR NAME?

I hope you have a nice Easter break as well.


Sincerely,

Rich Simpson



From: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin
Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2014 11:32 AM
Subject: RE: response to public comments

Rich,

Thank you for the suggestions. I will pass them along and I will let you know whether or not there will be any more changes. I am not sure how long that will take.


Thanks again,

Lorenzo



From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 7:07 AM
To: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin; Laughlin, John - Board President
Cc: John Laughlin
Subject: RE: response to public comments

Dr. Rizzi and Mr. Laughlin,

I appreciate your efforts in providing more transparency for the Fox C-6 community. However, in order for the transparency to be meaningful, the reports must be accurate. As I pointed out to Dr. Rizzi a couple of weeks ago in my email, the Vendor Names will need to be correct on the report for credit card payments otherwise the new reports will raise even more questions about the purchases.

The credit card payments should also have a transaction description listed with them other than CARD SERVICES or AMERICAN EXPRESS similar to the check payments. Perhaps the empty LINE AMOUNT column can be used to populate the credit card account on the report. If the community cannot trust the information being supplied by the district, the district will need to provide the credit card statements along with the Bill Payments Report in the board packets as I have previously requested.

I have not received a response from my Sunshine Request regarding the waiving of the $170 fee to obtain the credit card statements for the year. As I stated at the April 2014 Fox C-6 school board meeting, the credit card statements are public record and are not for personal or commercial interest. Providing the credit card statements to the community is for the interest of everyone in the Fox C-6 community. Therefore, I renew my request for the district to provide PDF copies of the credit statements for the 2013-2014 school year and that the school district waives any fees for providing that information. The new copiers recently procured by the district have a scan to PDF or network function making it very easy to produce a PDF document of the credit card statements.

Once the new Bill Payments Report format is updated to provide the correct information, I ask that all of the 2013-2014 school board packets be updated to include the new information provided in the new report. This will help reduce questions regarding this year’s payments. The board packets are already quickly updated each month with the late materials bill payments and replacing those pages with the new report should not take very long.

I attached a copy of the sample Bill Payments report that Dr. Rizzi emailed me on Wednesday April 16, 2014. I rotated the report 90 degrees to make it easier to read.


Thank you,

Rich Simpson



From: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2014 9:40 AM
To: Rich Simpson; Laughlin, John - Board President
Cc: John Laughlin; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Cheryl Hermann; Steve Holloway; Vernon Sullivan; Kroupa, Dan; Mullins, Dawn; David Palmer - Board Vice President
Subject: RE: response to public comments

Mr. Simpson,

I apologize for the delayed response.  Here are the answers to your questions and suggestions:
  • The bill details will be posted on the website and placed in board packets as conveyed in the sample bill descriptions I provided to you previously.
  • The bill details will be placed on the website and in the board packets from this point forward. 
  • Your request to waive the fee of $170 has not been granted.  We would be happy to complete the request upon payment. 

I have highlighted your questions to verify that I have answered them.  Thank you for your suggestions and concerns.


Sincerely,


Dr. Lorenzo Rizzi



From: Rich Simpson
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2014 6:45 AM
To: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin; Laughlin, John - Director
Cc: John Laughlin; Critchlow, Dr. Dianne; Cheryl Hermann; Steve Holloway; Vernon Sullivan; Kroupa, Dan; Mullins, Dawn; David Palmer
Subject: RE: response to public comments

Dr. Rizzi,

Thank you for your reply.

When were these matters discussed and who made these decisions?


Thank you,

Rich Simpson



From: Rich Simpson
Date: May 6, 2014 6:39:52 AM CDT
To: Rizzi, Dr. Lorenzo - CO Admin, Laughlin, John - Board President
Cc: John Laughlin, Critchlow, Dr. Dianne, Cheryl Hermann, Steve Holloway , Vernon Sullivan, Kroupa, Dan, Mullins, Dawn, David Palmer - Board Vice President
Subject: RE: response to public comments

Dr. Rizzi,

These decisions were not discussed or made during the Public Session of the April 15, 2014 board meeting.

Were all of the issues discussed and decided during Closed Session under Agenda Item 8.0 - Sections 610.021.14 Records and 610.021.22 Credit Cards as listed on the April 15, 2014 Fox C-6 Board Meeting Agenda?


Thank you,

Rich Simpson