Times Herald-Record --- December
27, 2006
By Raja Abdulrahim
Hudson Valley school districts noshed their ways through $321,000 worth of food in 2004-05 at training workshops and other school functions, including an array of eats at monthly board meetings, the Times Herald-Record has found.
The majority of districts surveyed have written policies allowing refreshments or even meals on certain occasions. Some require that district business be of an urgent matter conducted during mealtimes if food is to be served. And a few specifically prohibit alcohol.
What none of the policies says is: "Here's the district's credit card, go nuts."
Some boards must have misunderstood.
At Ulster BOCES, monthly dinner meetings are graced with Italian-stuffed meatloaf, chicken Marsala and London broil. Costs to feed 14 to 20 people start at $140, and in some cases exceed $200.
Similar but less decadent meals are had at Sullivan BOCES meetings, with pot roast and spaghetti and meatballs on the menu. Meal costs range from $110 to $220. Meetings are held at 6:30 p.m., which does not give board members a chance to eat beforehand, so the district provides a "light meal," said Superintendent Martin Handler.
"Everything is low-cost. We look for the most cost-effective way," Handler said. Board meetings account for only about 10 percent of the district's food expenditures, with the balance for food at staff development days and workshops.
Orange-Ulster BOCES spent a whopping $95,000 on food for the year, but Superintendent Robert Hanna said $48,000 of that total was for other districts' staff development days or meetings hosted at BOCES. While BOCES initially purchased the food, it was later reimbursed by the districts.
Reimbursements or no reimbursements, Orange-Ulster BOCES was still many dollars ahead of other districts in "munchie" money. The board holds its annual meeting at a restaurant. In 2005, that dinner meeting was at Amarone's in Sugar Loaf, where the board racked up a bill of $895.50 for 25 people. Hanna didn't think it was excessive.
"Once a year? No, absolutely not. We're talking about volunteer board members and we have a (yearly) meeting which we do at a restaurant," Hanna said. "If we did it once a month, that would be excessive."
The big-ticket items for most districts are superintendent's conferences, which tend to be two days of staff training and often cost at least $1,000, including breakfasts and lunches.
While some districts' paperwork was clear, the purpose of some food purchases was shrouded in mystery.
At Liberty School District, documentation for a $180 dinner consisted of an e-mailed menu, including roast beef with gravy, chicken Alfredo with angel-hair pasta and stuffed fillet of flounder. For dessert? Raspberry glaze cake and coffee and tea. The one detail missing: what the food was for.
Other districts showed restraint. Roscoe spent the least, ($537.50 for the year), but Superintendent Carmine Giangreco attributed that total to being a small district. When he worked in larger districts, more food was purchased because the districts held more events, he said.
In September, Port Jervis was chastised in a state audit for its exorbitant spending on meals and for lacking documentation and an overall food policy. After the audit, school officials said they would restrict food purchases.
That and other high-profile district audits has led some boards — even ones that weren't audited — to take a closer look at their policies.
In Highland, Superintendent John McCarthy said board meetings used to feature cookies and other snacks. Now they only serve water.
"And it's not bottled water," he said. "It's water from the tap."
Taxpayers can take comfort in knowing that while some districts may not count dollars, calories are a different story.
The proposed menu of one Ulster BOCES meeting listed "assorted diet soda and bottled water." Diet was underlined.
Reporter Kristina Wells contributed to this report.
Dinner at Amarone's in Sugar Loaf: $895.50
Baked Alaska salmon, crab cakes, duck breast, sardines, scallops, tuna and sirloin at the Locust Tree in New Paltz: $290London broil with sauteed mushrooms and onions at Sal's Place in Highland: $208
"Congratulations" cake and fresh fruit salad at tenure reception: $408.26
Stuffed sole, chicken francaise and prime rib dinner at retirement dinner: $300
Roses: $40
Billing the tab to the taxpayers: Priceless
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