BOARD TO CONSIDER RANDOL REFUND

Amy Randol might get a check for more than $700 from the Cape Girardeau Public Schools following action tonight by the Cape Girardeau Board of Education.

On the agenda for tonight's board meeting is consideration of a "patron's refund." The board might reimburse Randol for money she had to spend to review school district receipts last year.

Randol's search uncovered abuses of the district's credit cards. After the information was made public, the school district closed the American Express account and drafted a policy to document district officials' travel expenses and reimbursements. Also, Superintendent Neyland Clark's travel expenses were audited.

Five of the seven school board members either resigned or chose not to seek re-election after the results of Randol's inquiry was published.

During her review of school records, the district charged Randol hundreds of dollars. The charges related to a school employee who supervised the work and for photocopies of documents.

Randol had to pay the full salary of the supervising employee, which was more than $10 an hour.

In March, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle recommended the board reimburse Randol because her search led to "improvements in record keeping."

Swingle said Randol asked him early in the spring about the legality of the fees.

Although state law doesn't prohibit the fees, Swingle said returning the money would be an act of good faith by the school board.

A school board member brought the issue up at the last board meeting, which prompted board president Bob Fox to place it on the agenda.

"I thought if we were going to talk about it again, we should put it on the agenda and give anyone else who wants to speak about it the opportunity before action is taken," Fox said.

Swingle said Sunday he was glad the board will consider the refund.

"This wasn't a wild goose chase," he said of Randol's quest. "She wasn't wasting time, and some tangible, good things came out of her search, so I thought she should get her money back."

Randol said the board action is a "step in the right direction.

"This is a sign that the new board is being honest and open with the public, as it should be," she added. "I have a lot of confidence in the new board because of this."

Cape Girardeau Board of Education

Agenda

Monday, Sept. 11

6 p.m.

Vocational-Technical School Room 214

Action items

Surplus property

Patron's refund

November regular board meeting

Non-action items

Vocational students trip to Memphis

Missouri Mastery and Achievement Tests (MMAT)

District enrollment

Community Relations Committee

Update on the 1994-95 audit

Cottonwood Billing

Tuition calculation

1994-95 financial statement

Discussion of change of board meeting date