Recent school board actions

From "Metro in Brief," Post, January 22, 2005

Pr. George's to Check School Purchases

The Prince George's County school board voted Thursday night to tighten oversight of purchases exceeding $100,000.

Starting immediately, the board's internal auditor will review all large payments for irregularities. If any are found, the school system's chief financial officer can stop payments to vendors. The payments cannot be made without school board approval.

Board members said the policy will continue until an audit of schools chief Andre J. Hornsby's purchases has been completed. The school board said last month that it will hire an outside auditor to examine transactions overseen by Hornsby, including a $1 million purchase of educational products from California-based LeapFrog SchoolHouse that is being investigated by the FBI and other authorities. Hornsby oversaw the purchase without disclosing that he lived with a LeapFrog saleswoman, school system officials say.

The school board has not yet hired a firm for the audit.

Also this week, the school board postponed its annual retreat, which had been scheduled to take place today and tomorrow at the Harbourtowne Golf Resort and Conference Center in St. Michaels, because of the expected snowstorm. The school board and Hornsby had planned to hold closed-door meetings.