Superintendent resigns from Liberty School District

LIBERTY, Mo. -- The superintendent of Liberty schools has resigned amid allegations that he and other top administrators abused district credit cards.

Two other top administrators -- Steve Fleming, assistant superintendent for human resources, and Jim Hammen, executive director of certified personnel -- were placed on leave.

Superintendent Phil Wright, Fleming and Hammen are accused of misusing district cards and not providing receipts for purchases, including for alcoholic beverages at stores, hotels and restaurants.

Before taking over as superintendent in July, Wright served as assistant superintendent for business operations under former Liberty superintendent Scott Taveau. Taveau has also been linked to credit-card abuses.

After announcing Wright's resignation at a news conference Monday night, the school board said the superintendent would be paid through June. School board president Bob Young said Wright will not be paid for the final two years of his contract.

Wright was not at Monday's news conference and could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The school district in this Clay County suburb of Kansas City has approved stricter procedures for credit-card use, travel and other areas of financial concern. The school board hired Westbrook & Co., a private auditing firm, to examine the district's financial policies and procedures.

Some people have criticized the Westbrook audit because several board members, who are supervising the audit, have been cited for benefiting from credit-card purchases by administrators.

Critics are petitioning for a state audit, but that may not be necessary because Gov. Matt Blunt has said that he will ask the legislature for funding for an audit.

Mike Brewer, an assistant superintendent not involved in the credit card scandal, has been appointed interim superintendent while the school board conducts a national search for a permanent replacement.

"We're facing challenging times," Brewer said. "I just want to express to our patrons that the good work that goes on in our classrooms will continue. We pledge that we will return pride to this school district."

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Information from: The Kansas City Star, http://www.kcstar.com